Lack of CD27-CD45RA-V gamma 9V delta 2+ T cell effectors in immunocompromised hosts and during active pulmonary tuberculosis

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 168; no. 3; pp. 1484 - 1489
• Main Authors: Gioia, Cristiana, Agrati, Chiara, Casetti, Rita, Cairo, Cristiana, Borsellino, Giovanna, Battistini, Luca, Mancino, Giorgio, Goletti, Delia, Colizzi, Vittorio, Pucillo, Leopoldo P, Poccia, Fabrizio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2002
• Subjects: Adult; Cells, Cultured; Fetal Blood - cytology; Fetal Blood - immunology; Fetal Blood - metabolism; HIV Infections - immunology; Humans; Immunocompromised Host - immunology; Immunologic Memory; Immunophenotyping; Infant, Newborn; Interferon-gamma - biosynthesis; Interphase - immunology; Leukocyte Common Antigens - biosynthesis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - biosynthesis; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 - biosynthesis
• ISSN: 0022-1767
• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.168.3.1484

In humans, the circulating pool of mycobacteria-reactive Vgamma9Vdelta2+ T cells is expanded with age and may contribute to Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunosurveillance. We observed that two subsets of Vgamma9Vdelta2+ T cells could be identified on the basis of CD27 expression in immunocompetent adults, showing that functionally differentiated gammadelta T cells have lost CD27 expression. In contrast, the CD27-CD45RA-Vgamma9Vdelta2+ T cell subset of effector cells was absent in cord blood cells from healthy newborns and lacking in the peripheral blood from HIV-infected patients. Moreover, circulating Vgamma9Vdelta2+ T cell effectors were significantly reduced in patients with acute pulmonary tuberculosis, resulting in a reduced frequency of IFN-gamma-producing cells after stimulation with nonpeptidic mycobacterial ligands. These observations indicate that monitoring and boosting gammadelta T cell effectors could be clinically relevant both in immunocompromised hosts and during active tuberculosis disease.