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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Multiplexed Immunofluorescence Analysis and Quantification of Intratumoral PD-1+ Tim-3+ CD8+ T Cells
Published on: February 8, 2018
Elevated expression of Tim-3 on CD8 T cells correlates with disease severity of pulmonary tuberculosis
Xinjing Wang1, Zhihong Cao, Jing Jiang
1Division of Research, Institute of Tuberculosis, 309 Hospital, 17 Hei Shan Hu Road, Haidian, Beijing 100091, China.
Objectives:
T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing molecule 3 (Tim-3) plays an important role in regulating T cell responses and induction of peripheral tolerance. In this study, the association of Tim-3 with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was investigated.
Methods:
Tim-3 expression on CD8 T cells and its influence on production of effector molecules and proliferation of CD8 T cells were examined.
Results:
Pulmonary TB patients had significantly elevated Tim-3 expression on total CD8 T cells (P < 0.0001) and on antigen-specific CD8 T cells (P = 0.0028) compared with tuberculin-positive healthy controls. The expression of Tim-3 on CD8 T cells was significantly higher in smear/culture-positive TB patients than smear/culture-negative TB patients (P < 0.0001). Tim-3 expressing CD8 T cells had reduced production of IFN-γ, decreased degranulation and lower proliferation in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen stimulation. Blocking of Tim-3 signaling led to significantly increased production of IFN-γ.
Conclusions:
The elevated expression of Tim-3 on CD8 T cells correlates with functional defects of CD8 T cells and disease severity of pulmonary TB.
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