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Vδ2 T‐lymphocyte responses in cord blood samples from Italy and Côte d’Ivoire
Author(s) -
Cairo Cristiana,
Mancino Giorgio,
Cappelli Giulia,
Pauza C. David,
Galli Elena,
Brunetti Ercole,
Colizzi Vittorio
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2007.02784.x
Subject(s) - cord blood , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunology , biology , immune system , cord , cellular immunity , antigen , t lymphocyte , lymphocyte , immunity , cytotoxic t cell , medicine , in vitro , biochemistry , surgery
Summary Cord blood T lymphocytes are immature and their functional defect partially reflects a suboptimal level of costimulatory signals provided by neonatal antigen‐presenting cells. Neonatal Vδ2 T lymphocytes, a small component of cellular immunity involved in the response against bacteria, protozoa, virus‐infected cells and tumours, are also considered to be immature. Cord blood Vδ2 T lymphocytes are mostly naïve, proliferate poorly and do not produce cytokines in response to the model phosphoantigen isopentenyl pyrophosphate. We cultured cord blood mononuclear cells with the aminobisphosphonate Pamidronate or with live bacille Calmette–Guérin, and showed that both elicit a strong cord blood Vδ2 T‐cell proliferative response, inducing the expression of activation markers and promoting the differentiation from naïve to memory cells. Our results suggest that cord blood Vδ2 T cells are not inherently unresponsive and can mount strong responses to aminobisphosphonates and mycobacteria. Neonatal Vδ2 T lymphocytes may be important participants in responses to microbial infections early in life.