AIM: To investigate the role of T helper 17 cells (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).METHODS: We enrolled 79 patients with HBV infection into ...AIM: To investigate the role of T helper 17 cells (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).METHODS: We enrolled 79 patients with HBV infection into the study, 50 patients with HBV-related ACLF and 29 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), from the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College from January 2009 to June 2012. The ACLF patients were diagnosed according to the criteria recommended by The 19th Conference of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver in 2009. Twenty healthy individuals with a similar gender and age structures to the two patient groups were also included as the normal controls (NC). Of the 50 ACLF patients, 28 were subsequently classified as non-survivors: 19 patients died from multiorgan failure, 3 underwent liver transplantation, and 6 discontinued therapy during follow-up because of financial reasons. The remaining 22 ACLF patients whose liver and anticoagulation function recovered to nearly normal levels within the next 6 mo were classified as survivors. The number of circulating Treg and Th17 cells was determined upon diagnosis and during the 8th week of follow-up through flow cytometry. RESULTS: The percentage of circulating Treg cells in the ACLF group was significantly higher than that in the CHB group (5.50% ± 1.15% vs 3.30% ± 1.13%, P < 0.01). The percentages of circulating Th17 cells in the ACLF and the CHB groups were significantly higher than that in the NC group (6.32% ± 2.22% vs 1.56% ± 0.44%, P < 0.01; 3.53% ± 1.65% vs 1.56% ± 0.44%, P < 0.01). No significant difference in Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio was observed between the ACLF group and the CHB group (0.98 ± 0.44 vs 1.12 ± 0.64, P = 0.991), whereas those in the two HBV infection groups were significantly lower than that in the NC group (1.85 ± 1.22; both P < 0.01). The percentage of Treg cells in the survivors during the 8th week of follow-up was significantly lower than that during peak ACLF severity [total bilirubin (TBIL) peak] (3.45% ± 0.97% vs 5.18% ± 1.02%, P < 0.01). The percentage of Th17 cells in survivors during the 8th week of follow-up was significantly lower than that during the peak TBIL (2.89% ±0.60% vs 5.24% ± 1.46%; P < 0.01). The Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio during the 8 th week of follow-up was significantly higher than that during the TBIL peak (1.22 ± 0.36 vs 1.10 ± 0.54; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Restoring the Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio during the follow-up phase of ACLF could maintain the immune system at a steady state, which favours good prognosis.展开更多
AIM: Persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by a weak CD8+ T cell response to HBV. Immunotherapeutic strategies that overcome tolerance and boost these suboptimal responses may facilitate viral ...AIM: Persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by a weak CD8+ T cell response to HBV. Immunotherapeutic strategies that overcome tolerance and boost these suboptimal responses may facilitate viral clearance in chronically infected individuals. Therefore, we examined whether CD25+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells might be involved in a inhibition of CD8+T cell priming or in the modulation of the magnitude of the'peak' antiviral CD8+ T cell response primed by DNA immunization. METHODS: B10.D2 mice were immunized once with plasmid pCMV-S. Mice received 500 μg of anti-CD25 mAb injected intraperitoneally 3 d before DNA immunization to deplete CD25+ cells. Induction of HBV-specific CD8+ T ceils in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured by S28-39 peptide loaded DimerX staining and their function was analyzed by intracellular IFN-γ staining.RESULTS: DNA immunization induced HBV-specific CD8+ T cells. At the peak T cell response (d 10), 7.1±2.0% of CD8+ T cells were HBV-specific after DNA immunization, whereas 12.7±3.2% of CD8+ T cells were HBV-specific in Treg-depleted mice, suggesting that DNA immunization induced more antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the absence of CD25+ Treg cells (n = 6, P<0.05). Similarly, fewer HBVspecific memory T cells were detected in the presence of these cells (1.3±0.4%) in comparison to Treg-depleted mice (2.6±0.9%) on d 30 after DNA immunization (n = 6, P<0.01). Both IFN-γ production and the avidity of the HBV-specific CD8+ T cell response to antigen were higher in HBV-specific CD8+ T cells induced in the absence of Treg cells.CONCLUSION: CD25+ Treg cells suppress priming and/or expansion of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during DNA immunization and the peak CD8+ T cell response is enhanced by depleting this cell population. Furthermore, Treg cells appear to be involved in the contraction phase of the CD8+ T ceil response and may affect the quality of memory T cell pools. The elimination of Treg cells or their inhibition may be important in immunotherapeutic strategies to control HBV infection by inducing virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in chronically infected subjects.展开更多
AIM To investigate the role of regulatory T cell(Treg) subsets in the balance between Treg and T helper 17(Th17) cells in various tissues from mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.METHODS T r e g c e l l s...AIM To investigate the role of regulatory T cell(Treg) subsets in the balance between Treg and T helper 17(Th17) cells in various tissues from mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.METHODS T r e g c e l l s, T r e g c e l l s u b s e t s, T h 1 7 c e l l s, a n d CD4+CD25+FoxP 3+IL-17+ cells from the lamina propria of colon(LPC) and other ulcerative colitis(UC) mouse tissues were evaluated by flow cytometry. Forkhead box protein 3(FoxP 3), interleukin 17A(IL-17A), and RORC m RNA levels were assessed by real-time PCR, while interleukin-10(IL-10) and IL-17 A levels were detected with a Cytometric Beads Array.RESULTS In peripheral blood monocytes(PBMC), mesenteric lymphnode(MLN), lamina propria of jejunum(LPJ) and LPC from UC mice, Treg cell numbers were increased(P < 0.05), and FoxP 3 and IL-10 mR NA levels were decreased. Th17 cell numbers were also increased in PBMC and LPC, as were IL-17 A levels in PBMC, LPJ, and serum. The number of FrI subset cells(CD4+CD45RA+FoxP 3low) was increased in the spleen, MLN, LPJ, and LPC. FrI I subset cells(CD4+CD45RA-Fox P3high) were decreased among PBMC, MLN, LPJ, and LPC, but the number of Fr III cells(CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3low) and CD4+CD25+FoxP 3+IL-17A+ cells was increased. Fox P3 m RNA levels in CD4+CD45RA-Fox P3 low cells decreased in PBMC, MLN, LPJ, and LPC in UC mice, while IL-17 A and RORC mR NA increased. In UC mice the distribution of Treg, Th17 cells, CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3high, and CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3low cells was higher in LPC relative to other tissues.CONCLUSION Increased numbers of CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3low cells may cause an imbalance between Treg and Th17 cells that is mainly localized to the LPC rather than secondary lymphoid tissues.展开更多
The suppressive capacity of regulatory T cells(Tregs) has been extensively studied and is well established for many diseases.The expansion,accumulation,and activation of Tregs in viral infections are of major interest...The suppressive capacity of regulatory T cells(Tregs) has been extensively studied and is well established for many diseases.The expansion,accumulation,and activation of Tregs in viral infections are of major interest in order to find ways to alter Treg functions for therapeutic benefit.Tregs are able to dampen effector T cell responses to viral infections and thereby contribute to the establishment of a chronic infection.In the Friend retrovirus(FV) mouse model,Tregs are known to expand in all infected organs.To better understand the characteristics of these Treg populations,their phenotype was analyzed in detail.During acute FV-infection,Tregs became activated in the spleen and bone marrow,as indicated by various T cell activation markers,such as CD43 and CD103.Interestingly,Tregs in the bone marrow,which contains the highest viral loads during acute infection,displayed greater levels of activation than Tregs from the spleen.Treg expansion was driven by proliferation but no FV-specific Tregs could be detected.Activated Tregs in FV-infection did not produce Granzyme B(GzmB) or tumor necrosis factor a(TNFa),which are thought to be a potential mechanism for their suppressive activity.Furthermore,Tregs expressed inhibitory markers,such as TIM3,PD-1 and PD-L1.Blocking TIM3 and PD-L1 with antibodies during chronic FV-infection increased the numbers of activated Tregs.These data may have important implications for the understanding of Treg functions during chronic viral infections.展开更多
Regulatory T cells(Treg cells) are a group of negative regulatory cells that include nonspecific immune regulation CD4+ T cells. Treg cells inhibit the function of other immune cells. CD_4^+ CD_(25)^+ FOXP_3^+ is a Tr...Regulatory T cells(Treg cells) are a group of negative regulatory cells that include nonspecific immune regulation CD4+ T cells. Treg cells inhibit the function of other immune cells. CD_4^+ CD_(25)^+ FOXP_3^+ is a Treg cell that is co-expressed by CD_(25) and FOXP_3. The expression of Treg cells is up-regulated in the focal microenvironment and peripheral blood of patients infected with human papilloma virus(HPV). Further studies on Treg cells indicate that their potential clinical applications in the treatment of HPV infection.展开更多
基金Supported by The Major National Science and Technology Projects for Infectious Diseases (11th and 12th Five Year, China),No. 2008ZX10002-007, No. 2012ZX10002-007the Foundation of Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Plan Projects,No. 2011K14-09-09
文摘AIM: To investigate the role of T helper 17 cells (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).METHODS: We enrolled 79 patients with HBV infection into the study, 50 patients with HBV-related ACLF and 29 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), from the First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College from January 2009 to June 2012. The ACLF patients were diagnosed according to the criteria recommended by The 19th Conference of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver in 2009. Twenty healthy individuals with a similar gender and age structures to the two patient groups were also included as the normal controls (NC). Of the 50 ACLF patients, 28 were subsequently classified as non-survivors: 19 patients died from multiorgan failure, 3 underwent liver transplantation, and 6 discontinued therapy during follow-up because of financial reasons. The remaining 22 ACLF patients whose liver and anticoagulation function recovered to nearly normal levels within the next 6 mo were classified as survivors. The number of circulating Treg and Th17 cells was determined upon diagnosis and during the 8th week of follow-up through flow cytometry. RESULTS: The percentage of circulating Treg cells in the ACLF group was significantly higher than that in the CHB group (5.50% ± 1.15% vs 3.30% ± 1.13%, P < 0.01). The percentages of circulating Th17 cells in the ACLF and the CHB groups were significantly higher than that in the NC group (6.32% ± 2.22% vs 1.56% ± 0.44%, P < 0.01; 3.53% ± 1.65% vs 1.56% ± 0.44%, P < 0.01). No significant difference in Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio was observed between the ACLF group and the CHB group (0.98 ± 0.44 vs 1.12 ± 0.64, P = 0.991), whereas those in the two HBV infection groups were significantly lower than that in the NC group (1.85 ± 1.22; both P < 0.01). The percentage of Treg cells in the survivors during the 8th week of follow-up was significantly lower than that during peak ACLF severity [total bilirubin (TBIL) peak] (3.45% ± 0.97% vs 5.18% ± 1.02%, P < 0.01). The percentage of Th17 cells in survivors during the 8th week of follow-up was significantly lower than that during the peak TBIL (2.89% ±0.60% vs 5.24% ± 1.46%; P < 0.01). The Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio during the 8 th week of follow-up was significantly higher than that during the TBIL peak (1.22 ± 0.36 vs 1.10 ± 0.54; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Restoring the Treg cell to Th17 cell ratio during the follow-up phase of ACLF could maintain the immune system at a steady state, which favours good prognosis.
基金Supported by in part Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (toK.K)
文摘AIM: Persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by a weak CD8+ T cell response to HBV. Immunotherapeutic strategies that overcome tolerance and boost these suboptimal responses may facilitate viral clearance in chronically infected individuals. Therefore, we examined whether CD25+CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells might be involved in a inhibition of CD8+T cell priming or in the modulation of the magnitude of the'peak' antiviral CD8+ T cell response primed by DNA immunization. METHODS: B10.D2 mice were immunized once with plasmid pCMV-S. Mice received 500 μg of anti-CD25 mAb injected intraperitoneally 3 d before DNA immunization to deplete CD25+ cells. Induction of HBV-specific CD8+ T ceils in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured by S28-39 peptide loaded DimerX staining and their function was analyzed by intracellular IFN-γ staining.RESULTS: DNA immunization induced HBV-specific CD8+ T cells. At the peak T cell response (d 10), 7.1±2.0% of CD8+ T cells were HBV-specific after DNA immunization, whereas 12.7±3.2% of CD8+ T cells were HBV-specific in Treg-depleted mice, suggesting that DNA immunization induced more antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the absence of CD25+ Treg cells (n = 6, P<0.05). Similarly, fewer HBVspecific memory T cells were detected in the presence of these cells (1.3±0.4%) in comparison to Treg-depleted mice (2.6±0.9%) on d 30 after DNA immunization (n = 6, P<0.01). Both IFN-γ production and the avidity of the HBV-specific CD8+ T cell response to antigen were higher in HBV-specific CD8+ T cells induced in the absence of Treg cells.CONCLUSION: CD25+ Treg cells suppress priming and/or expansion of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells during DNA immunization and the peak CD8+ T cell response is enhanced by depleting this cell population. Furthermore, Treg cells appear to be involved in the contraction phase of the CD8+ T ceil response and may affect the quality of memory T cell pools. The elimination of Treg cells or their inhibition may be important in immunotherapeutic strategies to control HBV infection by inducing virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in chronically infected subjects.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81300294State Scholarship Fund of China,No.201509110033
文摘AIM To investigate the role of regulatory T cell(Treg) subsets in the balance between Treg and T helper 17(Th17) cells in various tissues from mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.METHODS T r e g c e l l s, T r e g c e l l s u b s e t s, T h 1 7 c e l l s, a n d CD4+CD25+FoxP 3+IL-17+ cells from the lamina propria of colon(LPC) and other ulcerative colitis(UC) mouse tissues were evaluated by flow cytometry. Forkhead box protein 3(FoxP 3), interleukin 17A(IL-17A), and RORC m RNA levels were assessed by real-time PCR, while interleukin-10(IL-10) and IL-17 A levels were detected with a Cytometric Beads Array.RESULTS In peripheral blood monocytes(PBMC), mesenteric lymphnode(MLN), lamina propria of jejunum(LPJ) and LPC from UC mice, Treg cell numbers were increased(P < 0.05), and FoxP 3 and IL-10 mR NA levels were decreased. Th17 cell numbers were also increased in PBMC and LPC, as were IL-17 A levels in PBMC, LPJ, and serum. The number of FrI subset cells(CD4+CD45RA+FoxP 3low) was increased in the spleen, MLN, LPJ, and LPC. FrI I subset cells(CD4+CD45RA-Fox P3high) were decreased among PBMC, MLN, LPJ, and LPC, but the number of Fr III cells(CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3low) and CD4+CD25+FoxP 3+IL-17A+ cells was increased. Fox P3 m RNA levels in CD4+CD45RA-Fox P3 low cells decreased in PBMC, MLN, LPJ, and LPC in UC mice, while IL-17 A and RORC mR NA increased. In UC mice the distribution of Treg, Th17 cells, CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3high, and CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3low cells was higher in LPC relative to other tissues.CONCLUSION Increased numbers of CD4+CD45RA-FoxP 3low cells may cause an imbalance between Treg and Th17 cells that is mainly localized to the LPC rather than secondary lymphoid tissues.
基金supported by the German Research Association(DFG)Transregio 60 project B4 and DI1914/1-1(www.dfg.de)part of the GK1045 funding provided by the DFG
文摘The suppressive capacity of regulatory T cells(Tregs) has been extensively studied and is well established for many diseases.The expansion,accumulation,and activation of Tregs in viral infections are of major interest in order to find ways to alter Treg functions for therapeutic benefit.Tregs are able to dampen effector T cell responses to viral infections and thereby contribute to the establishment of a chronic infection.In the Friend retrovirus(FV) mouse model,Tregs are known to expand in all infected organs.To better understand the characteristics of these Treg populations,their phenotype was analyzed in detail.During acute FV-infection,Tregs became activated in the spleen and bone marrow,as indicated by various T cell activation markers,such as CD43 and CD103.Interestingly,Tregs in the bone marrow,which contains the highest viral loads during acute infection,displayed greater levels of activation than Tregs from the spleen.Treg expansion was driven by proliferation but no FV-specific Tregs could be detected.Activated Tregs in FV-infection did not produce Granzyme B(GzmB) or tumor necrosis factor a(TNFa),which are thought to be a potential mechanism for their suppressive activity.Furthermore,Tregs expressed inhibitory markers,such as TIM3,PD-1 and PD-L1.Blocking TIM3 and PD-L1 with antibodies during chronic FV-infection increased the numbers of activated Tregs.These data may have important implications for the understanding of Treg functions during chronic viral infections.
文摘Regulatory T cells(Treg cells) are a group of negative regulatory cells that include nonspecific immune regulation CD4+ T cells. Treg cells inhibit the function of other immune cells. CD_4^+ CD_(25)^+ FOXP_3^+ is a Treg cell that is co-expressed by CD_(25) and FOXP_3. The expression of Treg cells is up-regulated in the focal microenvironment and peripheral blood of patients infected with human papilloma virus(HPV). Further studies on Treg cells indicate that their potential clinical applications in the treatment of HPV infection.