Open AccessF oxp3 + CD 4 + CD 25 + regulatory T cells are increased in patients with C oxiella burnetii endocarditis
Author(s) -
Layez Corinne,
Brunet Corinne,
Lépolard Catherine,
Ghigo Eric,
Capo Christian,
Raoult Didier,
Mege JeanLouis
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2011.00902.x
Subject(s) - coxiella burnetii , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , endocarditis , virology , medicine
Chronic Q fever, which principally manifests as endocarditis, is characterized by C oxiella burnetii persistence and an impaired cell‐mediated immune response. The long‐term persistence of pathogens has been associated with the expansion of regulatory T cells ( T regs), the CD 4 + T ‐cell subset that is characterized by the expression of CD 25 and F oxp3. We investigated the presence of T regs in patients with acute Q fever ( n = 17), known to exhibit an efficient immune response, patients with Q fever endocarditis ( n = 54) and controls ( n = 27) by flow cytometry. The proportion of CD 3 + , CD 4 + and CD 8 + T cells was similar in controls and patients with Q fever. The percentage of CD 4 + T cells that expressed CD 25 was similar in controls and patients with Q fever. The population of CD 4 + T cells that expressed both CD 25 and F oxp3 was significantly ( P < 0.001) increased in patients with Q fever endocarditis compared with controls. Our data suggest that the expansion of T regs may be critical for the chronic evolution of Q fever.