Peripheral blood CD4+ T cell populations by CD25 and Foxp3 expression as a potential biomarker: reflecting inflammatory activity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Background

The temporally dynamic changes of CD25 and Foxp3 expression in CD4+ T cells are initiated by T cell receptor (TCR) signals strength or frequency. There is a deficiency of peripheral markers for assessing COPD activity, and the current study was conducted to explore whether peripheral CD4+ T cell populations based on CD25 and Foxp3 expression could serve as an indicator for COPD inflammatory activity.

Methods

The distribution and phenotypic characteristics of CD4+CD25±Foxp3± T cells from peripheral blood in different populations were determined by flow cytometry. The model for the differentiation of CD4+ T cells populations by CD25 and Foxp3 expression was explored in vitro.

Results

The frequencies of peripheral CD4+CD25+Foxp3− T cells and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells were increased in AECOPD patients, whereas the frequency of CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells was increased in SCOPD patients without receiving systemic treatment. Phenotypic analysis revealed that CD4+CD25+Foxp3− T cells, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+CD25−Foxp3+ T cells had received antigenic stimulation and resembled central memory or effector memory T cells. The differentiation of CD4+ T cells populations by CD25 and Foxp3 expression was dictated by TCR signals. The paired study indicated that the frequencies of CD4+CD25+Foxp3− T cells, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells and CD4+CD25− Foxp3+ T cells were decreased while the frequency of CD4+CD25−Foxp3− T cells were increased in the same patients from AECOPD to convalescence.

Conclusions

Collectively, we propose that the dynamic changes of CD4+ T cell populations by CD25 and Foxp3 expression could function as potential biomarkers for reflecting inflammatory activity in COPD.

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis

Journal ID (publisher-id): COPD

Journal ID (pmc): copd

Title: International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Publisher: Dove

ISSN (Print): 1176-9106

ISSN (Electronic): 1178-2005

Publication date (Electronic): 30 July 2019

Publication date Collection: 2019

Volume: 14

Pages: 1669-1680

Affiliations

[1 ]Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430022, People’s Republic of China

Author notes

Correspondence: Xian-Zhi XiongDepartment of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Jiefang Avenue 1277, Wuhan, Hubei430022, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail xxz0508@ 123456hust.edu.cn

[*]

These authors contributed equally to this work

Article

Publisher ID: 208977

DOI: 10.2147/COPD.S208977

PMC ID: 6679698

Copyright statement: © 2019 Meng et al.

License:

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Page count

Figures: 4, Tables: 1, References: 35, Pages: 12

Categories

Subject: Original Research