Premium
Production of intracellular IL‐2, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ by T cells in B‐CLL
Author(s) -
Gallego A.,
Vargas J. A.,
Castejón R.,
Citores M. J.,
Romero Y.,
Millán I.,
Durántez A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
cytometry part b: clinical cytometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1552-4957
pISSN - 1552-4949
DOI - 10.1002/cyto.b.10052
Subject(s) - ionomycin , cytokine , tumor necrosis factor alpha , cd8 , cd5 , chronic lymphocytic leukemia , immunology , flow cytometry , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , biology , cytotoxic t cell , population , intracellular , medicine , immune system , leukemia , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro , biochemistry , environmental health
Abstract Background Recent evidence indicates that the slowly expanding population of CD5 + B cells that characterizes B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B‐CLL) could be related to defects in the response to cytokine produced by T cells that regulate apoptosis. We studied the intracellular expressions of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) in T‐helper 1 cells (Th1 response) of B‐CLL. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 21 healthy individuals and purified T cells from 21 early‐stage and 15 late‐stage B‐CLL patients were activated with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin. The Th1 cytoplasmic cytokines were evaluated in CD4 + and CD8 + T cells by flow cytometry. Results The percentages of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells positive for IL‐2 were significantly lower in B‐CLL patients than in healthy individuals ( P = 0.030 and 0.049, respectively). No significant differences in TNF‐α or IFN‐γ intracellular expressions were found between patients and healthy individuals. TNF‐α‐ and IFN‐γ–expressing CD8 T cells were disease stage dependent, being significantly higher in late‐stage patients ( P < 0.001 for both cytokines). Conclusions Our present observations suggested that Th1 cytokines may be of major importance in the pathogenesis of B‐CLL. Cytometry Part B (Clin. Cytometry) 56B:23–29, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.