γδ T lymphocytes and proinflammatory cytokines in bacterial meningitis

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 93; no. 4; pp. 793 - 798
• Main Authors: Raziuddin, Syed, Mir, Nisar A., EI-Awad, M.El-Hag, Telmesani, Abdul Wahab, Al-Janadi, Mansour
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 1994; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Bacterial meningitis; Biological and medical sciences; cytokines; Human bacterial diseases; Infectious diseases; Interferon-γ; interleukin-6; Medical sciences; T-cell receptor; tumor necrosis factor-α; αβ T cells; γδ T cells; γδ T cells; TcR; IL; αβ T cells; interleukin-6; mAb; T-cell receptor; IFN-γ; Bacterial meningitis; TNF-α; Interferon-γ; tumor necrosis factor-α; cytokines; Nervous system diseases; Gamma-Peptide chain; T cell receptor; Pathogenesis; Cytokine; Inflammation; Infection; Interleukin 6; Phenotype; Delta-Peptide chain; Central nervous system disease; T-Lymphocyte; Bacteriosis; Meningitis; Tumor necrosis factor α; Gamma interferon
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/0091-6749(94)90260-7

Background:
Patients with bacterial meningitis have a T-cell defect and impaired cytokine production.
Methods:
The phenotype and percentage of circulating αβ and γδ T-cell receptor-bearing lymphocytes were determined from patients with bacterial meningitis (
Haemophilis influenzae,
Streptococcus pneumoniae, and
Neisseria meningitidis), patients with bacterial infection but without meningitis, and healthy control subjects by a monoclonal antibody staining method. The in vitro production of cytokines, interleukins (IL-2, IL-6), Interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α was measured by the bioassay or ELISAs.
Results:
The percentage of circulating γδ T cells with a CD3 + CD4 + CD8 — phenotype was significantly (
p < 0.001) increased in all patients with bacterial meningitis compared with patients with bacterial infection and healthy control subjects. The CD3 + γδ T cells from patients with meningitis produced highly elevated levels of two proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-6. However, Interferon-γ production was enhanced by CD3 + αβ T cells.
Conclusion:
The increased percentage of circulating T-cell receptor γδ T cells and their in vitro production of tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-6 cytokines may play an important role in the pathogenesis and inflammatory response in bacterial meningitis.