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Published on: September 19, 2016
Tuberculin-specific T cells are reduced in active pulmonary tuberculosis compared to LTBI or status post BCG
Mathias Streitz1, Stephan Fuhrmann, Fiona Powell
1Institut für Medizinische Immunologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
Functional characteristics of tuberculosis (TB)-specific CD4 T cells were studied in clinically active pulmonary TB (n = 21) and high TB exposure including LTBI (n = 17). Following tuberculin stimulation, activated CD4 T cells were identified by flow-cytometry (CD154 up-regulation, degranulation, interferon γ [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], and interleukin 2 [IL-2\ production). Interestingly, CD154 up-regulation accounted for ∼80% of activated CD4 T cells in the active TB group but just 40% in the controls, whereas IFN-γ accounted for only ∼50% of activated cells in each group. The frequencies of CD4 T cells displaying at least 1 activation marker discriminated better between the groups than those displaying degranulation or IFN-γ production alone.
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