Expression and suppressive function of CD39+ regulatory T cells in kidney transplant recipients / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate expression and suppressive function of CD39 + regulatory T cells (Treg) in kidney transplant recipients.Method Thirty recipients of first kidney transplants were treated with tacrolimus,mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone.Within 28 days posttransplantation,there were 14 patients subject to acute rejection (AR group),and the rest 16 patients had no episodes of acute rejections (NR group).Twelve healthy volunteers served as healthy controls (HC group).We collected peripheral blood from the three groups and separated PBMC by density gradient centrifugation,and sorted Tresp,CD39-Treg and CD39+ Treg by flow cytometry.We next analyzed the ratio of CD39 + Treg/CD4+ T cells.ELISA was used to determine the suppressive ability of CD39-Treg and CD39+ Treg on secretion of IFN-γ and IL-17 by Tresp.Results The ratio of CD39 + Treg/CD4 + T cells in AR group was significantly reduced as compared with HC group and NR group (P＜0.05).In HC group and NR group,the secretion of IFN-γ and IL-17 by Tresp was suppressed significantly (P＜0.05) by CD39+ Treg.CD39Treg could suppress secretion of IFN-γ but not IL-17 production by Tresp.CD39+ Treg in AR group AR could suppress the secretion of IFN-γ significantly (P＜0.01),but not to IL-17 production.Conclusion CD39+ Treg have important immunoregulation function.The relative amount of CD39+ Treg was reduced and their regulatory function was impaired in patients with acute rejection.