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Author Spotlight: Optimized Protocol for Detecting Antigen-Specific T Cells in Mouse Lungs Using Tetramers
Published on: July 19, 2024
Antigen-specific T cell balance reveals Why patients with atopic dermatitis fail to achieve immune tolerance
Masako Inaba1, Hiroko Fukushima2, Monami Hara1
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, 2-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8576, Japan.
Abstract:
The number of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and how they behave in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) are still controversial. We identified and quantified Tregs, mite-specific Tregs, and mite-specific effector T cells (Teffs) in patients with AD and healthy controls (HCs). We collected peripheral blood and analyzed the cells using flow cytometry after stimulation with mite antigens. Mite-specific Tregs and mite-specific Teffs were recognized by the expression of CD137 and CD154, respectively. Patients with AD had more Tregs than HCs; however, when focusing on a single antigen, the ratio of mite-specific Tregs/Teffs was lower in patients with AD than in HCs. Furthermore, the mite-specific Teffs in patients with AD were more likely to produce proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. This Teff-dominant imbalance is thought to be the cause of development of atopic status in patients with AD without immune tolerance.
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