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Reciprocal alterations of Th1/Th2 function in γδ T‐cell subsets of human immunodeficiency virus‐1‐infected patients
Author(s) -
Dobmeyer Thomas S.,
Dobmeyer Rita,
Wesch Daniela,
Helm Eilke B.,
Hoelzer Dieter,
Kabelitz Dieter
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2002.03555.x
Subject(s) - immunology , cytokine , flow cytometry , interleukin 21 , biology , interferon , t cell , virology , immune system
Summary. While T cells that express Vγ9 as a variable T‐cell receptor chain dominate among peripheral blood γδ T cells in healthy adults, Vδ1 cells are the major subpopulation of γδ T cells in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients. We used intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry to analyse whether an imbalance of T helper 1 (Th1)/T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine patterns, as observed in αβ T cells, also occurs in γδ T cells. When compared with healthy HIV‐negative subjects, HIV + patients had a decreased number of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) + γδ T cells, which showed a linear relation to the CD4 + cell count but not to the plasma viral load. Similar results were obtained when Vγ9 cells were analysed. In contrast, in the Vδ1 subpopulation, the number of IFN‐γ + cells was increased in HIV + donors when compared with healthy subjects. Even though less impressive, the number of interleukin 4 (IL‐4)‐ and IL‐10‐producing cells was uniformly inversely correlated with the number of tumour necrosis factor‐α + and IFN‐γ + cells. The increased IFN‐γ‐producing capacity of Vδ1 cells might represent a compensatory mechanism for the progressive loss of Vγ9 γδ T cells during the course of HIV infection.