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Published on: September 15, 2023
Reference Values for a Panel of Cytokinergic and Regulatory Lymphocyte Subpopulations
Vincenzo Sorrenti1, Bruno Marenda2, Stefano Fortinguerra1
1Maria Paola Belloni Center for Personalized Medicine, Data Medica Group, Padova 35100, Italy.; Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35100, Italy.
Insights
This study establishes reference values for regulatory lymphocyte subpopulations, including Th1, Th2, Th17, Th-reg, Tc-reg, Tc-CD57+, and B1 cells. These findings support their use in comprehensive immune profiling for personalized diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Clinical Laboratory Science
- Systems Medicine
Background:
- Lymphocyte subpopulations are crucial immune elements involved in cytokine production and immune regulation.
- Their interdependency necessitates analysis as diagnostic panels rather than single biomarkers.
- Establishing reference ranges for regulatory lymphocytes is essential for clinical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reference values for key regulatory lymphocyte subpopulations in a Caucasian outpatient population.
- To provide mean values and ranges for Th1, Th2, Th17, Th-reg, Tc-reg, Tc-CD57+, and B1 lymphocytes.
- To support the integration of regulatory cells into routine lymphocyte panels for enhanced immune assessment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations from an outpatient laboratory in Northeast Italy.
- Quantification of Th1, Th2, Th17, Th-reg, Tc-reg, Tc-CD57+, and B1 lymphocytes.
- Statistical analysis to determine mean values, standard deviations, and ranges in a Caucasian cohort.
Main Results:
- Provided mean values and ranges for Th1, Th2, Th17, Th-reg, Tc-reg, Tc-CD57+, and B1 lymphocytes.
- Observed consistency in mean values across different age and sex groups, despite individual variability.
- Results align with existing literature for individual lymphocyte subtypes.
Conclusions:
- The established reference values can serve as internal laboratory references for regulatory lymphocyte panels.
- Including regulatory cells in lymphocyte analysis offers a more complete view of immune network balance.
- This approach enhances the personalization and actionability of diagnostic data within a systems medicine framework.
Abstract:
Lymphocyte subpopulations producing cytokines and exerting regulatory functions represent key immune elements. Given their reciprocal interdependency lymphocyte subpopulations are usually assayed as diagnostic panels, rather than single biomarkers for specialist clinical use. This retrospective analysis on lymphocyte subpopulations, analyzed over the last few years in an outpatient laboratory in Northeast Italy, contributes to the establishment of reference values for several regulatory lymphocytes currently lacking such reference ranges for the general population. Mean values and ranges in a sample of Caucasian patients (mean age 42±8,5 years), were provided for Th1, Th2, Th17, Th-reg, Tc-reg, Tc-CD57+ and B1 lymphocytes. The results are consistent with what is found in literature for the single subtypes and are: Th1 157.8±60.3/µl (7.3%±2.9); Th2 118.2±52.2/µl (5.4%±2.5); Th17 221.6±90.2/µl (10.5%±4.4); Th-reg 15.1±10.2/µl (0.7%±0.4); Tc-reg 5.8±4.7/µl (0.3%±0.2); Tc-CD57+ 103.7±114.1/µl (4.6%±4.7); B1 33.7±22.8/µl (1.5%±0.9); (Values are mean±SD). The results show that despite their variability, mean values are rather consistent in all age or sex groups and can be used as laboratory internal reference for this regulatory panel. Adding regulatory cells to lymphocyte subpopulations panels allows a more complete view of the state of the subject's immune network balance, thus improving the personalization and the "actionability" of diagnostic data in a systems medicine perspective.
