Open AccessHuman lymph‐node CD8 + T cells display an altered phenotype during systemic autoimmunity
Author(s) -
Ramwadhdoebe Tamara H,
Hähnlein Janine,
van Kuijk Bo J,
Choi Ivy Y,
van Boven Leonard J,
Gerlag Danielle M,
Tak Paul P,
van Baarsen Lisa G
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
clinical and translational immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.321
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2050-0068
DOI - 10.1038/cti.2016.8
Subject(s) - autoimmunity , cd8 , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , lymphatic system , lymph node , phenotype , lymph , biology , immune system , medicine , pathology , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Although many studies are focused on auto‐reactive CD4 + T cells, the precise role of CD8 + T cells in autoimmunity is poorly understood. The objective of this study is to provide more insight into the phenotype and function CD8 + T cells during the development of autoimmune disease by studying CD8 + T cells in human lymph‐node biopsies and peripheral blood obtained during the earliest phases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we show that lymphoid pro‐inflammatory CD8 + T cells exhibit a less‐responsive phenotype already during the earliest phases of autoimmunity compared with healthy individuals. We found an increase in CD8 + memory T cells in lymphoid tissue during the earliest phases of autoimmunity, even before clinical onset of RA, accompanied by an increased frequency of non‐circulating or recently activated (CD69 + ) CD8 + T cells in lymphoid tissue and peripheral blood. Importantly, lymphoid pro‐inflammatory CD8 + IL‐17A + T cells displayed a decreased capacity of cytokine production, which was related to disease activity in early RA patients. In addition, a decreased frequency of regulatory CD8 + IL‐10 + T cells in peripheral blood was also related to disease activity in early RA patients. Our results suggest that different CD8 + T‐cell subsets are affected already during the earliest phases of systemic autoimmunity.