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Title: | Expansion in CD39(+) CD4(+) Immunoregulatory T Cells and Rarity of Th17 Cells in HTLV-1 Infected Patients Is Associated with Neurological Complications |
Authors: | LEAL, Fabio E.; NDHLOVU, Lishomwa C.; HASENKRUG, Aaron M.; BRUNO, Fernanda R.; CARVALHO, Karina I.; WYNN-WILLIAMS, Harry; NETO, Walter K.; SANABANI, Sabri S.; SEGURADO, Aluisio C.; NIXON, Douglas F.; KALLAS, Esper G. |
Citation: | PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES, v.7, n.2, article ID e2028, 15p, 2013 |
Abstract: | HTLV-1 infection is associated with several inflammatory disorders, including the neurodegenerative condition HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). It is unclear why a minority of infected subjects develops HAM/TSP. CD4(+) T cells are the main target of infection and play a pivotal role in regulating immunity to HTLV and are hypothesized to participate in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. The CD39 ectonucleotidase receptor is expressed on CD4(+) T cells and based on co-expression with CD25, marks T cells with distinct regulatory (CD39(+)CD25(+)) and effector (CD39(+)CD25(-)) function. Here, we investigated the expression of CD39 on CD4(+) T cells from a cohort of HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (AC), and matched uninfected controls. The frequency of CD39(+)CD4(+) T cells was increased in HTLV-1 infected patients, regardless of clinical status. More importantly, the proportion of the immunostimulatory CD39(+)CD25(-) CD4+ T-cell subset was significantly elevated in HAM/TSP patients as compared to AC and phenotypically had lower levels of the immunoinhibitory receptor, PD-1. We saw no difference in the frequency of CD39(+)CD25(+) regulatory (Treg) cells between AC and HAM/TSP patients. However, these cells transition from being anergic to displaying a polyfunctional cytokine response following HTLV-1 infection. CD39(-)CD25(+) T cell subsets predominantly secreted the inflammatory cytokine IL-17. We found that HAM/TSP patients had significantly fewer numbers of IL-17 secreting CD4(+) T cells compared to uninfected controls. Taken together, we show that the expression of CD39 is upregulated on CD4(+) T cells HAM/TSP patients. This upregulation may play a role in the development of the proinflammatory milieu through pathways both distinct and separate among the different CD39 T cell subsets. CD39 upregulation may therefore serve as a surrogate diagnostic marker of progression and could potentially be a target for interventions to reduce the development of HAM/TSP. |
Appears in Collections: | Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - FM/MCM Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - FM/MIP Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - HC/ICHC Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - LIM/52 Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - LIM/60 |
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