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Phenotypic and Functional Analysis of Activated Regulatory T Cells Isolated from Chronic Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus-infected Mice
Published on: June 22, 2016
FoxP3+ regulatory T cells suppress effector T-cell function at pathologic site in miliary tuberculosis
Prabhat K Sharma1, Pradip K Saha, Amar Singh
1Department of Transplant Immunology and Immunogenetics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India.
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|February 28, 2009
Summary
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are more frequent in disseminated tuberculosis (TB) and suppress local immune responses. This Treg cell activity influences TB severity and spread, highlighting their critical role in disease pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Tuberculosis Research
Background:
- Disseminated tuberculosis (TB) forms like miliary TB (MTB) are linked to inadequate effector T-cell responses.
- Regulatory T cells (Treg) may drive disseminated TB by suppressing local anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- Quantify Treg cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from MTB patients versus peripheral blood.
- Investigate Treg cell-mediated suppression of local T-cell responses.
- Determine selective recruitment of Treg cells to disease sites.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry for cell enumeration.
- Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for gene expression.
- MTT-based cell proliferation assays to assess T-cell function.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher Treg cell frequency (CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+)) and FoxP3 mRNA in local disease site specimens (LDSS) from MTB patients.
- Treg cells from MTB patient BAL predominantly produced IL-10.
- MTB-derived Treg cells suppressed autologous T-cell proliferation against M. tuberculosis antigen.
Conclusions:
- Treg cells play a crucial role in suppressing effector immune responses in TB.
- Treg cell activity influences bacillary dissemination, disease manifestation, and severity in tuberculosis.
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