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Circulating CD4+, CD8+, and double-negative T cells in ischemic stroke and stroke-associated infection: a prospective
Magdalena Telec1, Magdalena Frydrychowicz2, Radosław Kazmierski3
1Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
|May 9, 2025
Summary
T-cell dynamics after ischemic stroke show no difference between patients and controls. Higher CD4+ T-cells correlate with better outcomes, while CD8+ T-cells link to inflammation and hypertension. Stroke-associated infections did not alter these T-cell patterns.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Immunology
- Stroke Research
Background:
- Adaptive immunity shifts T cells post-stroke, impacting peripheral and brain compartments.
- Stroke-associated infection (SAI) complicates stroke care, with unclear T-cell subset roles.
- Understanding T-cell dynamics is crucial for managing stroke and associated infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify circulating CD4+, CD8+, and double-negative T cells and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in ischemic stroke patients.
- To investigate the relationship between T-cell subsets, SAI, clinical outcomes, and stroke severity.
- To explore T-cell changes in relation to hypertension and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.
Main Methods:
- Prospective flow cytometry analysis of T-cell subsets in 52 ischemic stroke patients.
- Assessment on days 1, 3, 10, and 90 post-stroke, compared to matched controls.
- Correlation analysis of lymphocyte parameters with clinical outcome, SAI, infarct volume, and risk factors.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in T-cell parameters between stroke patients and controls, or with/without SAI.
- Higher CD4+ T-cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio correlated with better clinical status; CD8+ T-cells showed inverse correlation.
- CD8+ T-cells correlated positively with CRP; CD4+ T-cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio correlated negatively with CRP.
- Hypertension was associated with higher CD8+ and lower CD4+ T-cells in the acute stroke phase.
Conclusions:
- T-cell subset levels and CD4+/CD8+ ratio do not differ between stroke patients and controls or in relation to SAI.
- Circulating CD4+ T-cell levels and CD4+/CD8+ ratio may serve as potential biomarkers for favorable clinical outcomes post-stroke.
- CD8+ T-cell levels correlate with inflammatory markers (CRP) and hypertension, suggesting a role in stroke pathophysiology.
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