外周血循环滤泡辅助性T 细胞及IL-21 在银屑病中的表达及意义

目的:探讨外周血循环滤泡辅助性T 细胞(Follicular helper T cells,Tfh)及相关细胞因子IL-21 在银屑病患者中的表达水平及其与疾病活动度的关系。方法:收集38 例银屑病患者及32 例健康对照者,流式细胞术检测外周血循环CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh 和CD4+ CXCR5+ ICOS+ Tfh 细胞比例以及Th17 细胞比例;ELISA 检测血清IL-21 浓度;分析这些指标间及与银屑病疾病活动度评分PASI 间的相关性。结果:与健康对照者相比,银屑病患者外周血循环CD4+ CXCR5+ Tfh 和CD4+ CXCR5+ ICOS+Tfh 细胞比例更高,血清IL-21 浓度和Th17 细胞比例亦显著高于对照组(P<0.05);IL-21 浓度与CD4+ CXCR5+ Tfh 和CD4+CXCR5+ ICOS+ Tfh 细胞比例均显著正相关,而与Th17 细胞比例间无显著相关性(P>0.05);且CD4+ CXCR5+ ICOS+ Tfh 细胞比例和血清IL-21 与银屑病疾病活动度PASI 评分显著正相关,而CD4+ CXCR5+ Tfh 则与之无显著相关性(P>0.05)。结论:银屑病患者外周血循环Tfh 比例、IL-21 浓度上调与银屑病患者疾病活动度密切相关,提示Tfh 可能参与银屑病的发生发展过程,这一效应可能是通过分泌高水平IL-21 实现;IL-21 浓度与Tfh 细胞比例相关,而与Th17 细胞比例无相关性提示银屑病患者IL-21可能主要由Tfh 细胞分泌。     

IL-21在滤泡辅助性T细胞分化发育及功能中的作用

抗原刺激B细胞产生抗体需要T细胞辅助,近年来人们逐渐认识到一个命名为滤泡辅助性T细胞(Tfh)的CD4+T细胞亚群在B细胞诱导的免疫应答中具有重要作用.Tfh细胞的主要特征包括表达趋化因子受体与(CXCR5),迁移定位于B细胞滤泡辅助B细胞产生抗体.Tfh细胞产生的细胞因子IL-21能够促进B细胞分化为抗体形成细胞,这种辅助性细胞因子在Tfh细胞的分化发育、效应发挥及Tfh细胞功能失调相关的疾病中具有重要意义.     

IL-21在滤泡辅助性T细胞分化发育及功能中的作用

抗原刺激B细胞产生抗体需要T细胞辅助,近年来人们逐渐认识到一个命名为滤泡辅助性T细胞（Tfh）的CD4^＋T细胞亚群在B细胞诱导的免疫应答中具有重要作用。Tfh细胞的主要特征包括表达趋化因子受体与（CXCR5）,迁移定位于B细胞滤泡辅助B细胞产生抗体。Tfh细胞产生的细胞因子IL-21能够促进B细胞分化为抗体形成细胞,这种辅助性细胞因子在Tfh细胞的分化发育、效应发挥及Tfh细胞功能失调相关的疾病中具有重要意义。     

A fundamental role for interleukin-21 in the generation of T follicular helper cells

T cell help to B cells is a fundamental property of adaptive immunity, yet only recently have many of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of T cell help emerged. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are the CD4(+) T helper cells that provide cognate help to B cells for high-affinity antibody production in germinal centers (GC). Tfh cells produce interleukin-21 (IL-21), and we show that IL-21 was necessary for GC formation. However, the central role of IL-21 in GC formation reflected its effects on Tfh cell generation rather than on B cells. Expression of the inducible costimulator (ICOS) was necessary for optimal production of IL-21, indicative of interplay between these two Tfh cell-expressed molecules. Finally, we demonstrate that IL-21's costimulatory capacity for T helper cell differentiation operated at the level of the T cell receptor signalosome through Vav1, a signaling molecule that controls T cell helper function. This study reveals a previously unappreciated role for Tfh cells in the formation of the GC and isotype switching through a CD4(+) T cell-intrinsic requirement for IL-21.     

Differential expression of Ly6C and T-bet distinguish effector and memory Th1 CD4(+) cell properties during viral infection

CD4(+) T?cells differentiate into multiple effector types, but it is unclear how they form memory T?cells during infection in?vivo. Profiling virus-specific CD4(+) T?cells revealed that effector cells with T helper 1 (Th1) or T follicular helper (Tfh) cell characteristics differentiated into memory cells, although expression of Tfh cell markers declined over time. In contrast to virus-specific effector CD8(+) T?cells, increased IL-7R expression was not a reliable marker of CD4(+) memory precursor cells. However, decreased Ly6C and T-bet (Tbx21) expression distinguished a subset of Th1 cells that displayed greater longevity and proliferative responses to secondary infection. Moreover, the gene expression profile of Ly6C(lo)T-bet(int) Th1 effector cells was virtually identical to mature memory CD4(+) T?cells, indicating early maturation of memory CD4(+) T?cell features in this subset during acute viral infection. This study provides a framework for memory CD4(+) T?cell development after acute viral infection.     

Human blood CXCR5(+)CD4(+) T cells are counterparts of T follicular cells and contain specific subsets that differentially support antibody secretion

Although a fraction of human blood memory CD4(+) T cells expresses chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 5 (CXCR5), their relationship to T follicular helper (Tfh) cells is not well established. Here we show that human blood CXCR5(+)CD4(+) T cells share functional properties with Tfh cells and appear to represent their circulating memory compartment. Blood CXCR5(+)CD4(+) T cells comprised three subsets: T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, and Th17 cells. Th2 and Th17 cells within CXCR5(+), but not within CXCR5(-), compartment efficiently induced naive B cells to produce immunoglobulins via interleukin-21 (IL-21). In contrast, Th1 cells from both CXCR5(+) and CXCR5(-) compartments lacked the capacity to help B cells. Patients with juvenile dermatomyositis, a systemic autoimmune disease, displayed a profound skewing of blood CXCR5(+) Th cell subsets toward Th2 and Th17 cells. Importantly, the skewing of subsets correlated with disease activity and frequency of blood plasmablasts. Collectively, our study suggests that an altered balance of Tfh cell subsets contributes to human autoimmunity.     

Airway infiltration of CD4+ CCR6+ Th17 type cells associated with chronic cigarette smoke induced airspace enlargement

Recently, patients with tobacco smoke induced emphysema have been shown to exhibit classical signs of T cell mediated autoimmunity characterized by autoantibody production and Th1 type responses. As the recently described Th17 type subset has been found to play a role in the pathogenesis of a number of autoimmune diseases previously considered to be Th1 driven, we sought to examine whether a Th17 type response was associated with airspace enlargement in a murine model of emphysema. Six to eight months exposure of mice to inhalation of mainstream cigarette smoke led to progressive airspace enlargement as defined by morphometric analysis. Flow cytometric analysis of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from these mice demonstrated a significant increase in the overall number of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells present. These cells were subsequently examined for skewing towards a Th1, Th2 or Th17 phenotype by intracellular cytokine analysis. Distinct populations of BAL CD4+ T cells were found to express IFN-gamma or IL-17 demonstrating the presence of both a Th1 and Th17 type response. No expression of the Th2 associated cytokine IL-4 was detected. Further analysis of this Th17 subset demonstrated that the majority of cells with this effector phenotype express the chemokine receptor CCR6. Together these data identify a novel T cell subset associated with pulmonary inflammation as a result of cigarette smoke exposure. Given the reported roles of CCR6 and IL-17 in promoting pulmonary inflammation, this subset may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cigarette smoke induced autoimmunity.     

Dysregulation of circulating CD4+CXCR5+ T cells in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by a chronic low‐grade inflammatory state. Follicular helper T cells (Tfh) play critical roles in inducing B‐cell activation and producing various cytokines, whereas circulating CD4+CXCR5+ T cells (CTfh) may act as a counterpart to measure Tfh cell disorders. In this study, we investigated whether Tfh could be involved in the development of T2DM by assessing CTfh in peripheral blood. CTfh and it subtypes were determined by measuring CD3, CD4, CXCR5, CXCR3, and CCR6 in 68 T2DM patients and 60 healthy controls using flow cytometry. Results showed that proportion of CTfh in the peripheral CD4+ T cells was significantly increased in T2DM patients (8.5 ± 0.5%) than in controls (4.5 ± 0.3%) (p < 0.001). Further study revealed that the balance of CTfh subtypes was greatly dysregulated, in which percentage of Th17 subtype was significantly increased in patients. Investigating the correlation between CTfh and risk factors of T2DM demonstrated that proportion of CTfh were significantly elevated in patients with body mass index (BMI) over 24.0 (p = 0.005). Interestingly, patients with abdominal obesity had further increase in CTfh than those without abdominal obesity. This study suggests the involvement of CTfh in T2DM, especially in T2DM‐related obesity.     

Decreased circulating CXCR3 + CCR9+T helper cells are associated with elevated levels of their ligands CXCL10 and CCL25 in the salivary gland of patients with Sjögren’s syndrome to facilitate their concerted migration

CCR9 + T helper (Th) cells can induce Sjögren-like symptoms in mice and both CCR9 + Th cells and their ligand CCL25 are increased in the salivary glands of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients. Increased circulating CCR9 + Th cells are present in pSS patients. CCR9 + Th cells are hyperresponsive to IL-7, secrete high levels of IFN-γ, IL-21, IL-17 and IL-4 and potently stimulate B cells in both patients and healthy individuals. Our aim was to study co-expression of chemokine receptors on CCR9 + Th cells and whether in pSS this might differentially affect CCR9 + Th cell frequencies. Frequencies of circulating CCR9 + and CCR9- Th cells co-expressing CXCR3, CCR4, CCR6 and CCR10 were studied in pSS patients and healthy controls. CCL25, CXCL10, CCL17, CCL20 and CCL27 mRNA and protein expression of salivary gland tissue of pSS and non-Sjögren's sicca (non-SS) patients was assessed. Chemotaxis assays were performed to study migration induced by CXCL10 and CCL25. Higher expression of CXCR3, CCR4 and CCR6 but not CCR10 was observed on CCR9 + Th cells as compared to cells lacking CCR9. Decreased frequencies of circulating memory CCR9 + CXCR3+ Th cells were found in pSS patients, which was most pronounced in the effector memory subset. Increased salivary gland CCL25 and CXCL10 expression significantly correlated and both ligands functioned synergistically based on in vitro induced chemotaxis. Decreased memory CXCR3 + CCR9+ Th cells in blood of pSS patients may be due to a concerted action of overexpressed ligands at the site of inflammation in the salivary glands facilitating their preferential migration and positioning in the lymphocytic infiltrates.     

Establishment of stable CD8+ suppressor T cell clones and the analysis of their suppressive function.

Stable CD8+ suppressor T cell (Ts) clones were established by a relatively simple method. Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH)-primed spleen cells from C3H mice were depleted of B cells and CD4+ T cells by panning and cytotoxic treatment, and the resulting CD8+ T cells were periodically stimulated with antigen and irradiated syngeneic spleen cells followed by manifestation in interleukin-2 (IL-2) containing medium. T cell clones with a definite suppressor function were established by limiting dilution. They were defined as classical effector type Ts of CD8+ phenotype as they had constant and definite suppressor functions in antigen-induced T cell proliferation and specific antibody response against T cell-dependent antigens without detectable cytotoxic activity against both antigen presenting cells (APC) and helper T cells (Th). They showed no helper activity for B cells and produced no detectable helper type lymphokines such as IL-2 and IL-4. CD8+ Ts clones were able to inhibit the antigen-induced IL-2 production of normal and cloned T cells. Their suppressive activity was antigen-nonspecific and major histocompatibility complex-unrestricted. CD8+ Ts clones were also able to suppress the proliferative response of Th clones induced by immobilized anti-T cell receptor (TcR) and anti-CD3 mAbs but not the response induced by concanavalin A (ConA) and IL-2. All the CD8+ T cell clones established independently utilized the TcR V beta 8 gene. Syngeneic antigen presenting cells could induce proliferation of these CD8+ clones, which was blocked by anti-CD8 and anti-I-Ak monoclonal antibody (mAb) but not by anti-class I mAbs. The stimulation of CD8+ Ts clones with immobilized anti-CD3 resulted in the release of a suppressor factor(s) that potently inhibited the antigen-induced proliferation of CD4+ Th clones and the in vitro secondary antibody formation.     

滤泡辅助性T细胞的研究进展

滤泡辅助性T细胞（Tfh）是最近发现的CD4^＋辅助性T淋巴细胞亚群,其作用是辅助B细胞的抗体产生.其发生、分化和功能均独立于以往的Th1、Th2和Th17细胞,是体液免疫反应的关键.转录因子Bcl-6和Blimp-1在Tfh细胞的分化中起着关键的、相互拮抗的作用,调节趋化因子受体、表面分子和细胞因子等表达,这些因子对Tfh细胞募集和B细胞辅助功能非常重要.     

Follicular T helper cells and humoral reactivity in kidney transplant patients

Memory B cells play a pivotal role in alloreactivity in kidney transplantation. Follicular T helper (Tfh) cells play an important role in the differentiation of B cells into immunoglobulin-producing plasmablasts [through interleukin (IL)-21]. It is unclear to what extent this T cell subset regulates humoral alloreactivity in kidney transplant patients, therefore we investigated the absolute numbers and function of peripheral Tfh cells (CD4^POSCXCR5^POS T cells) in patients before and after transplantation. In addition, we studied their relationship with the presence of donor-specific anti-human leucocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSA), and the presence of Tfh cells in rejection biopsies. After transplantation peripheral Tfh cell numbers remained stable, while their IL-21-producing capacity decreased under immunosuppression. When isolated after transplantation, peripheral Tfh cells still had the capacity to induce B cell differentiation and immunoglobulin production, which could be inhibited by an IL-21-receptor-antagonist. After transplantation the quantity of Tfh cells was the highest in patients with pre-existent DSA. In kidney biopsies taken during rejection, Tfh cells co-localized with B cells and immunoglobulins in follicular-like structures. Our data on Tfh cells in kidney transplantation demonstrate that Tfh cells may mediate humoral alloreactivity, which is also seen in the immunosuppressed milieu.     

The regulation and role of T follicular helper cells in immunity

It is well established that the generation of a high-affinity long-lived antibody response requires the presence of T cells, specifically CD4+ T cells. These CD4+ T cells support the generation of a germinal centre (GC) response where somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation take place leading to the generation of memory B cells and plasma cells, which provide long-lasting protection. Greater insight into the nature of the CD4+ T cells involved in this process was provided by two studies in 2000 that described CD4+ T cells residing in the B cell follicle that expressed CXCR5. As a result these cells were named follicular B helper T cells, now more commonly known as T follicular helper (Tfh) cells. Since then there has been enormous growth in our understanding of these cells, now considered a distinct T helper (Th) cell lineage that can arise from naive CD4+ T cells following activation. This review summarizes some of the most recent work that has characterized Tfh cells and the pathways that lead to their generation.     

TFH：抗体免疫应答的真正辅助者

T细胞辅助B细胞产生抗体是胸腺依赖抗原诱导体液免疫应答的一种基本方式。以往的观念认为,在该过程中发挥关键作用的是Th2细胞,但是最近一群新的T细胞亚群：TFH的发现可能改变了这一概念。TFH是一群属于CD4^＋T细胞的新的细胞亚群,在其分化发育过程中,IL-21发挥了关键作用,成熟的TFH细胞定位于生发中心,表面特异性标志为CD4^＋CXCR5^＋,可分泌IL-21等多种细胞因子。其中IL-21在自身免疫病、免疫缺陷病及肿瘤中都起重要的作用。TFH细胞的发现丰富了人们对CD4^＋T细胞亚群的认识,拓展了对各种免疫性疾病的发病机制的认识。