Increased numbers of mononuclear cells from blood and CSF expressing interferon-gamma mRNA in multiple sclerosis are from both the CD4+ and the CD8+ subsets

Activated, cytokine-producing lymphocytes may regulate central nervous system (CNS) inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). We utilize a novel combination of in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunocytochemical staining of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) to identify spontaneously interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) mRNA expressing cells as CD4+ or CD8+. A major proportion of the IFNgamma mRNA expressing lymphocytes belonged to the CD4+ lineage, which concords with the cellular composition of MS brain lesions, findings in experimental models and the HLA class II haplotype association in MS. There were also significantly more CD8+ IFNgamma mRNA expressing lymphocytes in the MS patients compared with healthy controls, further suggesting the contribution of activated cells from this lineage in the inflammatory response in MS. Both CD4+ and CD8+ IFNgamma mRNA expressing cells were enriched in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as compared with the peripheral blood of the MS patients. Combined with emerging genetic data on HLA class I influences, our data argues for a joint role of activated CD8+ and CD4+ cells in the pathogenesis of MS.     

Soluble CD8 and ICAM-1 in serum and CSF of MS patients treated with 6-methylprednisolone

Objective - We studied the effects of large doses of 6-methylprednisolone (6-MP) on serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) soluble CD8 (sCD8) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) levels in clinically active multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
Material and methods - Paired serum and CSF samples were from 16 patients with definite MS, treated with 6-MP (1 g daily for 6 d) during an active phase of the disease. sCD8 and sICAM-1 levels were determined with ELISA before and after the therapy.
Results - Before 6-MP treatment, sCD8 levels in CSF were higher in MS patients than in patients with noninflammatory neurological disease and in healthy controls; sICAM-1 levels in serum and in CSF were higher in MS patients than in the two control groups. Ten of the 16 patients showed clinical improvement at the end of the treatment. After the therapy, serum and CSF sCD8 levels increased, whereas serum and CSF sICAM-1 levels decreased. There was no correlation between clinical improvement and laboratory parameters. We evaluated sCD8 and sICAM-1 in serum samples from 10 patients 6 months after the 6-MP treatment, when the disease was clinically silent. Neither sCD8 nor sICAM-1 levels differed from those of the control groups.
Conclusions - Our results suggest that high doses of 6-MP can influence serum and CSF sCD8 and sICAM-1 levels in active MS. At least part of the efficacy of corticosteroid treatment in MS might be ascribed to its effect both on the suppressive circuits of immune response, and on the expression of an adhesion molecule that favours lymphocyte trafficking across the blood-brain barrier.     

Circulating CD4+CD8+ cells in myasthenia gravis: supplementary immunological parameter for long-term prognosis

Summary Twenty patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were studied prospectively for up to 5 years after thymectomy, in order to clarify the relationships between disease severity, anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (anti-AChR) titres, proportions of circulating CD4⁺CD8⁺ cells (CD4⁺CD8⁺ cell level) and major lymphocyte subsets. The CD4⁺CD8⁺ cell levels were closely related to the clinical change within 1 year after surgery in 8 patients who showed a preoperative elevation in the cell levels. This group of patients consisted of six thymomatous and two non-thymomatous patients; the latter were both negative for anti-AChR. The anti-AChR titres generally changed in parallel with the clinical state in 9 of the 16 patients who were followed up for more than a year after thymectomy, and the CD4⁺CD8⁺ cell levels were useful in predicting the clinical course in 6 of the above 9 patients and 3 other patients, including antibody-negative cases. The present study suggests that the CD4⁺CD8⁺ cell levels may serve as an indicator for long-term prognosis of MG.     

Soluble CD4 and CD8 in the peripheral blood of patients with multiple sclerosis and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy

We evaluated the presence of soluble (s) CD4 and sCD8, released from activated T cells, in the sera of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy (HAM) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, peripheral blood T cell subsets in patients with MS and HAM were analyzed by single and two color flow cytometry. The serum level of sCD8 was significantly elevated in MS patients as compared with controls (p less than 0.001). Sera from patients with an exacerbation of acute relapsing MS showed a higher sCD8 level than the patients in remission or controls (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.001, respectively). The serum levels of both sCD4 and sCD8 were also significantly elevated in patients with HAM (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.001, respectively). In addition, a significantly increased serum level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) was found in patients with HAM as compared with that of controls (p less than 0.001). These observations suggest that CD8 cells may be activated in the peripheral blood of patients with MS and sCD8 may be related to clinical activity, but that both CD4 and CD8 cells may be activated in the peripheral blood of patients with HAM.     

Temporal kinetics of CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28− T lymphocytes in the injured rat spinal cord

This study aims to explore the temporal changes of cytotoxic CD8⁺CD28⁺ and regulatory CD8⁺ CD28⁻ T‐cell subsets in the lesion microenvironment after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats, by combination of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and flow cytometry (FCM). In the sham‐opened spinal cord, few CD8⁺ T cells were found. After SCI, the CD8⁺ T cells were detected at one day post‐injury (dpi), then markedly increased and were significantly higher at 3, 7, and 14 dpi compared with one dpi (p < 0.01), the highest being seven dpi. In CD8⁺ T cells, more than 90% were CD28⁺, and there were only small part of CD28⁻ ( < 10%). After 14 days, the infiltrated CD8⁺ T cells were significantly decreased, and few could be found in good condition at 21 and 28 dpi. Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) staining showed that the percentages of apoptotic/necrotic CD8⁺ cells at 14 dpi and 21 dpi were significantly higher than those of the other early time‐points (p < 0.01). These results indicate that CD8⁺ T cells could rapidly infiltrate into the injured spinal cords and survive two weeks, however, cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells were dominant. Therefore, two weeks after injury might be the “time window” for treating SCI by prolonging survival times and increasing the fraction of CD8⁺ regulatory T‐cells. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

CD4+T-bet+, CD4+pSTAT3+ and CD8+T-bet+ T cells accumulate in peripheral blood during NZB treatment

Circulating T cells and monocytes expressing T-bet, pSTAT1 and pSTAT3 increase in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) during relapse. Natalizumab (NZB) is an effective drug in RRMS, but exacerbation of the disease after its discontinuation has been described in some patients. The aim of this research was to study the effect of NZB treatment on circulating lymphomonocyte subpopulations expressing T-bet, pSTAT1, pSTAT3 and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the percentages of circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD14+ monocytes and B cells expressing T-bet, pSTAT1, and pSTAT3, and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells from RRMS patients before and after 6-12 NZB infusions. In NZB-treated RRMS patients, the percentages of CD4+pSTAT1+ and CD8+pSTAT1+ T cells, CD14+pSTAT1+ monocytes, CD4+T-bet+, CD8+T-bet+ and CD4+pSTAT3+ T cells and CD14+pSTAT3+ monocytes increased after 12 drug infusions and were similar to those observed in untreated relapsing RRMS patients. Otherwise in vitro NZB exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from untreated RRMS patients and controls had no effect. It was concluded that NZB treatment determines an accumulation of CD4+pSTAT1+, CD8+pSTAT1+, CD4+T-bet+, CD8+T-bet+ and CD4+STAT3+ T cells in peripheral blood that may account for the exacerbation of the disease observed in some patients after the discontinuation of the drug.     

CD4+ but not CD8+ T cells revert the impaired emotional behavior of immunocompromised RAG-1-deficient mice

An imbalanced immune system has long been known to influence a variety of mood disorders including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and depression. In this study, we sought to model the impact of an immunocompromised state on these emotional behaviors using RAG-1^−/− mice, which lack T and B cells. We also investigated the relative contribution of CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T cells to these manifestations using RAG-1^−/−/OT-II and RAG-1^−/−/OT-I transgenic mice, respectively. Our results show that RAG-1^−/− mice present a significant increase in digging and marble-burying activities compared with wild-type mice. Surprisingly, these anxiety-like behaviors were significantly reverted in RAG-1^−/−/OT-II but not RAG-1^−/−/OT-I transgenic mice. Immunodepletion experiments with anti-CD4 or anti-CD8 in C57/BL6 mice or repopulation studies in RAG-1^−/− mice did not reproduce these findings. Microarray analysis of the brain of RAG-1^−/− and RAG-1^−/−/OT-II mice revealed a significantly different gene fingerprint, with the latter being more similar to wild-type mice than the former. Further analysis revealed nine main signaling pathways as being significantly modulated in RAG-1^−/− compared with wild-type mice. Taken together, these results suggest that life-long rather than transient immunodeficient conditions influence the emotional behaviors in mice. Most interestingly, these effects seem to correlate with a specific absence of CD4⁺ rather than CD8⁺ T cells. Validation of these findings in man might provide new clues on the mechanism by which early life immune modulation might impact mood response in adults and provide a further link between immune and emotional well-being.     

CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte subsets in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood from patients with multiple sclerosis, meningitis and normal controls

Objectives - To study the distribution of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell subsets in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), meningitis, other neurological diseases and healthy controls.
Material and methods - The expression of markers for naive and memory cells (CD45RA⁺ and CD45RO⁺), and helper/inducer cells (CD29⁺) on CD4⁺ cells as well as CD45RO⁺ and killer/effector (S6F1⁺) on CD8⁺ cells was investigated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood from patients with multiple sclerosis (n=28), meningitis (n = 13), other neurological diseases (n = 16), and healthy controls (n = 16) by 2-color flow cytometry.
Results - The majority of T cells in the CSF of the 4 groups exhibited the phenotype of memory cells (CD45RO⁺) on both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells. The proportion of helper/inducer (CD29TD4⁺ in CD4⁺) cells was also larger in the CSF compared to peripheral blood in the 3 patient groups and controls investigated. In contrast, CD8⁺ cells with killer/effector (S6F1+) phenotype were fewer in CSF compared to peripheral blood in all 4 groups. There were no significant differences between patients and controls regarding the distribution of these activation markers in the CSF or peripheral blood.
Conclusion - Our observations support the notion that activated T cells of both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ phenotype selectively pass the blood-brain barrier under both pathological and normal conditions.     

左旋咪唑对实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎大鼠脊髓内CD4 、CD8、CD28和CD152表达的影响

目的 探讨左旋咪唑（Levamisole,LMS）对实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎（experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis，EAE）大鼠脊髓内单个核细胞CD4、CD8、CD28及CD152表达的影响及其意义。方法 采用临床症状评分、病理学检查和流式细胞术，观察LMS处理和非处理条件下豚鼠全脊髓匀浆诱导的Wistar大鼠EAE临床表现、病理改变及脊髓内单个核细胞CD4、CD8、CD28及CD152分子表达水平。结果 LMS同时给药促发组和预处理组EAE大鼠脊髓内单个核细胞CD4、CD28表达水平明显高于非LMS处理的EAE模型组（P〈0．01），病理变化更加明显。而CD8、CD152表达水平差异无统计学意义。结论 LMS可促进EAE大鼠脊髓内单个核细胞CD4、CD28的表达，提示LMS上调CD4、CD28的表达可能与LMS诱发炎性脱髓鞘白质脑病有关。     

胶质瘤中LC3B与CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞的相关性及意义

目的研究不同级别胶质瘤组织中自噬相关蛋白LC3B的表达与CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞数量的相关性并探讨其意义。方法采用免疫组化、Western blot检测127例不同级别胶质瘤及40例瘤旁正常组织中LC3B的表达,免疫组化检测CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞的数量,分析其相关性及意义。结果 (1)免疫组化及Western blot检测结果显示LC3B的表达在瘤旁正常组织、低级别胶质瘤及高级别胶质瘤中呈不同程度的升高,且组间比较差异具有显著性(P0.05)。(2)CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞在胶质瘤中的数量明显高于瘤旁正常组织(P0.05),且高级别胶质瘤明显高于低级别胶质瘤(P0.05)。(3)LC3B的表达与CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞的数量在不同级别胶质瘤中均呈正相关,低级别胶质瘤中相关系数分别为0.466、0.599、0.537,高级别胶质瘤中相关系数分别为0.657、0.608、0.561。(4)胶质瘤中LC3B的表达及CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞的数量均与肿瘤的大小有关(P0.05)。结论在胶质瘤组织中LC3B、CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞均呈高表达,且LC3B的表达与CD68~+小胶质细胞、CD4~+和CD8~+T淋巴细胞的数量呈正相关,LC3B可能是影响胶质瘤细胞免疫的因素之一。     

CD45RA+ ICAM-3+ lymphocytes in cerebrospinal fluid and blood as markers of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVES: Autoreactive T cells targeted against antigens of the myelin sheath are suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Naive (CD45RA+) T cells and intercellular adhesion molecule-3 (ICAM-3) are markers for un-activated lymphocytes. This study was performed to investigate, whether the expression levels of these antigens both on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood lymphocytes can be used as activity markers in MS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Corresponding blood and CSF samples were obtained from 31 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Of the 31 MS patients 23 were suffering from acute relapses at the time of examination and all of them were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone (MP). Blood was collected again on the 10th day of therapy and after 3 months. The control group consisted of 12 healthy persons. Two-color flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the percentage of both CD45RA+ and ICAM-3+ cells within the lymphocyte population. RESULTS: The percentage of CD45RA+ ICAM-3+ cells in the CSF of MS patients with relapses was significantly increased compared to patients in remission (P<0.05). In blood, a significantly lower percentage of CD45RA+ ICAM-3+ lymphocytes was found in both patient groups compared to healthy controls (Relapse: P<0.05, Remission: P<0.10). Additionally, we found a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the percentage of CD45RA+ ICAM-3+ lymphocytes in blood of MS patients suffering from acute relapse on the 10th day of high-dose MP treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the percentage of CD45RA+ ICAM-3+ lymphocytes in CSF can be used as marker of disease activity in MS patients.     

实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎大鼠血CD4+CD25+T细胞的研究

目的探讨实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎(EAE)动物模型血CD4 CD25 T细胞的变化及其意义。方法以豚鼠全脊髓匀浆(GPSCH)为抗原免疫Wistar大鼠,建立EAE的动物模型,采用三色流式细胞仪检测EAE和正常大鼠外周血CD4 CD25 T细胞的细胞数并进行比较;通过观察大鼠行为学及脑和脊髓的病理改变确定EAE。结果EAE模型大鼠的成功率为48.9%,EAE大鼠外周血CD4 CD25 T淋巴细胞数(5.29±4.00)显著低于正常对照组(12.61±2.24)(P<0.01)。结论EAE大鼠血CD4 CD25 T细胞数明显减少,CD4 CD25 T淋巴细胞对神经系统脱髓鞘疾病是一种保护因子。     

载脂蛋白E拟肽对实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎小鼠脑脊髓CD4+、CD8+T淋巴细胞表达的影响

目的 探讨载脂蛋白(Apo)E拟肽对实验性自身免疫性脑脊髓炎(EAE)小鼠脑脊髓CD4+、CD8+T淋巴细胞表达的影响.方法 40只C57BL/6J雌性小鼠随机分成EAE组、EAE治疗组、正常对照组、正常治疗组;采用髓鞘少突胶质细胞糖蛋白制备的完全抗原诱导EAE模型小鼠.免疫诱导次日,EAE治疗组和正常治疗组小鼠每隔2d皮下注射ApoE拟肽,EAE组和正常对照组小鼠皮下注射等量的生理盐水.免疫诱导后各组每日进行神经功能缺损评分(NDS);35 d后用免疫组化检测各组小鼠脑脊髓CD4+T细胞、CD8+T细胞的表达.结果 EAE治疗组NDS的峰值及终末评分显著低于EAE组(均P＜0.05).与正常对照组及正常治疗组比较,EAE组大脑、脑干和脊髓中CD4+T细胞数明显增高,大脑CD8+T细胞数明显增高(均P＜0.05).EAE治疗组小鼠大脑、脑干、脊髓组织CD4+T细胞表达显著低于EAE组(均P＜0.05);两组间CD8+T细胞表达水平的差异无统计学意义.结论 ApoE拟肽可抑制CD4+T细胞的表达,减轻免疫炎症反应,对EAE小鼠有神经保护作用;而对CD8+T细胞的表达无明显影响.     

CD4+ lymphocyte subsets in the cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis and non-inflammatory neurological diseases

Summary We studied paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood (PB) samples from 18 inactive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 10 with non-inflammatory neurological diseases. By means of a dual-colour cytofluorimetric micromethod we were able to count 1500 cells on average in each CSF sample. We found a significant reduction of CD45RA+ and CD4+CD45RA+ cells in the CSF of MS patients. Similarly, CD45RA+ and CD4+CD45RA+ CSF/PB ratios were lower compared with controls. The reduction of suppressor-inducer T-cells did not correlate with CD8+ cell levels in the CSF. The CD4+ subset ratio (CD4+CD45RA–/CD4+CD45RA+) was significantly increased in the CSF of MS patients. Our data suggest that the reduction of CD4+CD45RA+ cells in the PB is not due to a segregation of such cells in the CSF. Conversely, CSF changes reflect changes in the PB similar to these found for other T-cell subsets.     

肾移植患者外周血中的CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-调节性T细胞

背景：越来越多的实验在分析免疫耐受标志,以期能够更好地辅助患者进行移植后免疫抑制治疗。 目的：分析肾移植后患者外周血中CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-调节性T细胞在肾移植免疫耐受中的作用。 方法：采集62例肾移植后患者(急性排斥反应组22例,移植稳定组40例)及20例健康对照者的外周抗凝血,经免疫染色,应用流式细胞仪分析CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-调节性T细胞所占CD4+ T细胞百分含量,同时采用ELISA方法检测患者血清中白细胞介素2和白细胞介素10的质量浓度。 结果与结论：移植稳定组中CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-调节性T细胞所占CD4+ T细胞百分含量显著高于健康对照组和急性反应排斥组(P < 0.01);CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-调节性T细胞百分含量与白细胞介素2呈显著负相关(P < 0.05),与白细胞介素10呈显著正相关(P < 0.01)。提示CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/-调节性T细胞在肾移植后免疫耐受的机制中发挥了一定作用。     

糖皮质激素对多发性硬化患者外周血淋巴细胞CD80和CD4+CD25+T细胞表达的影响

目的探讨糖皮质激素(GC)对多发性硬化(MS)患者外周血淋巴细胞CD80和CD4+CD25+T细胞表达的影响。方法利用流式细胞仪检测21例MS急性期患者GC治疗前后外周血淋巴细胞CD80和CD4+CD25+T细胞阳性率,并与正常对照组比较;比较MS患者治疗前后扩展功能障碍状况量表(EDSS)评分的变化。结果MS患者急性期外周血淋巴细胞CD80的阳性率[(5.031±1.782)%]较正常对照组[(6.436±2.035)%]明显下降(P<0.05),经GC治疗后CD80的阳性率[(6.467±1.882)%]明显增高(P<0.01);CD4+CD25+T细胞阳性率治疗前后与正常对照组间差异均无统计学意义;治疗后EDSS评分[(3.64±1.79)分]较治疗前[(4.26±1.68)分]明显下降(P<0.01)。结论GC可上调MS患者淋巴细胞CD80的表达,抑制细胞免疫,促进MS病情缓解。     

Parkinson's disease and immunological abnormalities: increase of HLA-DR expression on monocytes in cerebrospinal fluid and of CD45RO+ T cells in peripheral blood

The etiology of Parkinson's disease is mainly unknown. Immune abnormalities have been described, but the cause of such abnormalities has not been resolved. We examined by two-colour flow cytometry HLA-DR antigen expression on monocytes from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood and, moreover, lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4⁺ CD45RO⁺, CD4⁺ CD45RA⁺, CD8⁺ CD11b^+high) in peripheral blood from patients with Parkinson's disease compared with age-matched patients with other neurological diseases (OND) and tension headache. We found higher HLA-DR expression on CSF monocytes compared with blood monocytes. This difference was restricted to Parkinson's disease patients. T helper cell analysis revealed a decreased percentage of CD45RA⁺"naive" and an increased percentage of CD45RO⁺"memory" T cell subset from CD4⁺ T cells in peripheral blood of patients with Parkinson's disease compared with patients with tension headache. The proportions of CD8⁺ CD11b^+high"suppressor" T cells remained unchanged, among the three patient groups compared. A selective loss of CD4⁺ CD45RA⁺ cells, previously observed in diseases like multiple sclerosis and Down's syndrome as compared with healthy controls suggests a common immunological abnormality in neurological disorders.