[IL-2 stimulated responses of CD3(+) CD56(+) NKT cells in pulmonary tuberculosis patients]

To observe the activation and proliferation characteristics of IL-2 stimulated CD3(+);CD56(+); NKT cells in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from PTB patients and normal subjects were stimulated with IL-2 and cultured for different time points. The CD69 expression on and amount of the CD3(+);CD56(+); NKT cells were detected by multi fluorescence staining and flow cytometry at different time of stimulation and culture.

There was no significant difference in percentage of NKT cells between PTB patients and normal healthy controls before culture. When IL-2 was used to stimulate for 0 h, 8 h, 16 h, 40 h and 64 h, the expression of CD69 on NKT cells in normal controls and PTB patients increased significantly, but the CD69 expression level of NKT cells in PTB patients was significantly higher than that in normal persons(P<0.05). In PTB patients group, PBMCs were expanded significantly after stimulated by IL-2, the absolute number of NKT cells increased from (3.44+/-1.20)x10(4); to (323.23+/-75.98) x10(4); (P<0.01), expanded by 108.69+/-59.22 fold, In normal control group the absolute number of NKT cells increased from (5.57+/-5.16)x10(4); to (1475.05+/-868.98)x10(4); (P<0.01), expanded by 246.26+/-134.06 fold, the expanding efficiency in PTB group was significantly lower than that in normal control group (P<0.05).

NKT cells in PTB patients present with high activation but low proliferation after stimulated by IL-2.