[Double negative T cells correlate with disease activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients]

Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is a complex multisystem autoimmune disease. It is characterized by multisystem affection with remission and relapse course. T lymphocytes characterized as TCR alpha beta CD4[-] CDS8[-] CD56- cells are known as `double-negative' [DN] T cells and have been described in both human and rodent models. The present study included thirty patients with SLE and sixteen healthy blood donor females. All cases and controls subjected to clinical assessment and DNT cells percentage measurement in periephral blood mononuclear cells [PBMNCs]. Our findings suggest that DN T cells subset; appear to play an essential role in SLE as it was correlated with disease, activity

Treg cells subsets in pediatric sle

Background: There are somehow conflicting data in the literature on whether Treg cells in human SLE are impaired

Aim of the work: to quantify CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3[+] T cells [Treg] in Egyptian children with SLE and to correlate these findings with their disease activity scores and drug therapy

Methods: We enrolled 37 Egyptian children with active SLE. The disease activity was assessed by measuring serum levels of anti-ds DNA antibody and by using scores of SLEDAL Twenty healthy children were also enrolled as normal controls

Results: The CD4[+]CD25[+] CD4[+]CD25[bright] and CD4[=]CD25[dim] cells in patients were significantly increased in comparison to controls. There was no significant difference in the Fax% gated on CD4+CD25[bright], CD4[+]CD25[dim] but on the other hand there was a significant increase when gated on CD4 CD25 and whole CD4[+] cells in patients than controls. There was no significant difference between different grades of activity, different lines of treatments and patients outcomes as regards all studied values. There was no significant correlation between any of studied parameters with SLED AI score except gated lymphocytes which showed significant negative correlation

Conclusions: There is increase in the expression of FoxpS in CD4 T cells mostly CD25 in Egyptian pediatric patients with active SLE under corticosteroid treatment without correlation with SLED AI score

Effect of major burn on immunophenotype of peripheral blood T lymphocytes

The immunosuppressive effect of a major burn has been known for many years. However, a complete understanding of the effects of a burn on the immune system remains elusive. Lymphocytes immunophenotype is a reflection of the functional level of immune system. There is little knowledge concerning the expression of HLA-DR on peripheral blood [Pb] T lymphocytes. T lymphocytes of 26 major burn [25-40%] patients were analyzed in 24 hours, 1 week and 2 weeks after burn, using, monoclonal antibodies of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD25 [IL2R,] and HLA-DR by flow cytometry and comparing them with those of26 apparently healthy donors. There was statistically significant reduction in absolute number of CD3 [p<0.0001], CD4/CD8 ratio [p=0.01] in the first 24 h in comparison with controls. CD25 [IL2R] shows insignificant upregulation on T lymphocytes after burn with significant upregulation of HLA-DR. The absolute number of CD3[+] cells began to increase after 2 weeks [p=0.03]. but still reduced than controls [p=0. 08,]. CD4/CD8 ratio was more or less as healthy control after 2 weeks. Upregulation of CD25 was insignificantly increased and that of HLA-DR were marked increased after 2 weeks. The absolute number CD25 and HLA-DR[+] T lymphocyte subsets all over the time of the study are low than controls except that of HLA-DR[+] T lymphocytes after 2 weeks [p=0.009]. The data obtained suggest persistent activation of T lymphocytes 2 weeks post major burns. HLA-DR expression can reflect post burn lymphocyte activation

Role of Fas [CD95] in T lymphocytes Apoptosis in malnourished children

Apoptosis is programmed cell death. Lymphocyte apoptosis was described in peripheral blood and lymphatic organs in malnutrition. Little has been done to explore Fas [CD95] function in apoptosis of lymphocyte populations in malnourished children. To address this issue, we studied the apoptosis in T lymphocytes in different types of malnutrition. We also aimed to assess the role of Fas in this apoptosis in relation to clinical and laboratory parameters in the studied patients. Sixty three malnourished infants and children were compared to 27 healthy controls. Beside thorough history and clinical examination, laboratory investigation and evaluation of flow cytometry assessment of T lymphocytes was done to all cases and controls. The viability of T lymphocytes was determined by anti CD3 combined with anti CD95 and fluorescence dye 7-amino actinomycin D [7AAD]. There was a decrease in the percentage and absolute lymphocyte count [CD3[+]], with increased apoptosis in these cells compared with the controls. There was up-regulation of Fas expression in CD3[+] cells. Furthermore CD3[+]/CD95[+] cells were highly less viable, more apoptotic than CD3[+]/CD95[-] in the patients with malnutrition and than CD3[+]/CD95[+] cells in donors. The differences were highly significant. All the clinical and laboratory parameters of the studied patients showed no significant correlation with any of the apoptotic indices. We concluded that the increased apoptosis of T lymphocytes in malnourished children may be the cause of the decreased lymphocyte count in peripheral blood in these cases. This intern may be related to the decreased cell mediated immunity and the more common occurrence of infection in such cases. Furthermore the up-regulation of Fas may be the molecular basis for apoptosis in T lymphocytes in these malnourished children