CD8+ T Cell Subsets (cd8+ t + cell_subset)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Paraflagellar rod protein-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes target Trypanosoma cruzi -infected host cells

PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 8 2002
Ruth A. Wrightsman
Summary Our previous studies show that in mice immunized with the paraflagellar rod (PFR) proteins of Trypanosoma cruzi protective immunity against this protozoan parasite requires MHC class I-restricted T cell function. To determine whether PFR-specific CD8+ T cell subsets are generated during T. cruzi infection, potential CTL targets in the PFR proteins were identified by scanning the amino acid sequences of the four PFR proteins for regions of 8,10 amino acids that conform to predicted MHC class I H-2b binding motifs. A subset of the peptide sequences identified were synthesized and tested as target antigen in 51Cr-release assays with effector cells from chronically infected T. cruzi mice. Short-term cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) lines specific for two of the peptides, PFR-1164,171 and PFR-3123,130, showed high levels of lytic activity against peptide-pulsed target cells, secreted interferon (IFN)-, in response to parasite-infected target cells, and were found to be CD8+, CD4,, CD3+, TCR,,+ cells of the Tc1 subset. Challenge of PFR immunized CD8,/, and perforin-deficient (PKO) mice confirmed that while CD8+ cells are required for survival of T. cruzi challenge infection, perforin activity is not required. Furthermore, while lytic activity of PFR-specific CD8+ T cell lines derived from PKO mice was severely impaired, the IFN-, levels secreted by CTLs from PKO mice were equivalent to that of normal mice, suggesting that the critical role played by CD8+ T cells in immunity to the parasite may be secretion of type 1 cytokines rather than lysis of parasite infected host cells. [source]


Immune Reconstitution Following Rabbit Antithymocyte Globulin

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 9 2010
S. Gurkan
Depletional induction therapies are routinely used to prevent acute rejection and improve transplant outcome. The effects of depleting agents on T-cell subsets and subsequent T-cell reconstitution are incompletely defined. We used flow cytometry to examine the effects of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) on the peripheral T-cell repertoire of pediatric and adult renal transplant recipients. We found that while rATG effectively depleted CD45RA+CD27+ naïve and CD45RO+CD27+ central memory CD4+ T cells, it had little effect on CD45RO+CD27, CD4+ effector memory or CD45RA+CD31,, CD45RO+CD27+ and CD45RO+CD27, CD8+ T cell subsets. When we performed a kinetic analysis of CD31+ recent thymic emigrants and CD45RA+/RO+ T cells, we found evidence for both thymopoiesis and homeostatic proliferation contributing to immune reconstitution. We additionally examined the impact of rATG on peripheral CD4+Foxp3+ T cells. We found that in adults, administration of rATG-induced peripheral expansion and new thymic emigration of T cells with a Treg phenotype, while CD4+Foxp3+ T cells of thymic origin predominated in children, providing the first evidence that rATG induces Treg in vivo. Collectively our data indicate that rATG alters the balance of regulatory to memory effector T cells posttransplant, providing an explanation for how it positively impacts transplant outcome. [source]


Different Mechanisms of Cardiac Allograft Rejection in Wildtype and CD28-deficient Mice

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2001
Gregory L. Szot
Although CD28 blockade results in long-term cardiac allograft survival in wildtype mice, CD28-deficient mice effectively reject heart allografts. This study compared the mechanisms of allogeneic responses in wildtype and CD28-deficient mice. Adoptive transfer of purified CD28-deficient T cells into transplanted nude mice resulted in graft rejection. However, this model demonstrated that the allogeneic T cell function was severely impaired when compared with wildtype T cells, despite similar survival kinetics. Cardiac allograft rejection depended on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in CD28-deficient mice, whereas only CD4+ T cells were necessary in wildtype recipients. These results suggested that CD8+ T cells were more important in CD28-deficient than wildtype mice. In addition to the CD8+ T cell requirement, allograft rejection in CD28-deficient mice was dependent on a sustained presence of CD4+ T cells, whereas it only required the initial presence of CD4+ T cells in wildtype mice. Taken together, these data suggest that CD4+ T cells from CD28-deficient mice have impaired responses to alloantigen in vivo, thus requiring long-lasting cooperation with CD8+ T cell responses to facilitate graft rejection. These results may help to explain the failure to promote graft tolerance in some preclinical and clinical settings. [source]


Effector CD8+ T cells in systemic sclerosis patients produce abnormally high levels of interleukin-13 associated with increased skin fibrosis

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 4 2009
Patrizia Fuschiotti
Objective T lymphocytes play an important role in systemic sclerosis (SSc), a connective tissue disease characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, and vascular damage. While their precise role and antigen specificity are unclear, T cell,derived cytokines likely contribute to the induction of fibrosis. The aim of this study was to establish the role of cytokine dysregulation by T cells in the pathogenesis of SSc. Methods To identify relationships between a specific cytokine, T cell subset, and the disease course, we studied a large cohort of patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) or limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). Using Luminex analysis and intracellular cytokine staining, we analyzed the intrinsic ability of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets to produce cytokines following in vitro activation. Results High levels of the profibrotic type 2 cytokine interleukin-13 (IL-13) were produced following activation of peripheral blood effector CD8+ T cells from SSc patients as compared with normal controls or with patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In contrast, CD4+ T cells showed a lower and more variable level of IL-13 production. This abnormality correlated with the extent of fibrosis and was more pronounced in dcSSc patients than in lcSSc patients. Conclusion Dysregulated IL-13 production by effector CD8+ T cells is important in the pathogenesis of SSc and is critical in the predisposition to more severe forms of cutaneous disease. Our study is the first to identify a specific T cell phenotype that correlates with disease severity in SSc and can be used as a marker of immune dysfunction in SSc and as a novel therapeutic target. [source]