Î³Î´T Cells in the Peripheral Blood of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

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Abstract

BACKGROUND
T cell mediated immunity is important in the defense mechanism of tuberculosis. Since Î³Î´ T cell receptor was found to react with 65 kD heat shock protein of M. tuberculosis, there have been some reports on the role of Î³Î´ T cells in the defense against M. tuberculosis. But until now, the role of the Î³Î´ T cells in tuberculosis is not clear.
METHODS
We therefore measured the percentage of Î³Î´ T cells of peripheral blood by flowcytometry before and after stimulation with Con-A, PPD and H37Ra lysate and compared between tuberculosis patients and healthy controls.
RESULTS
Î³Î´ T cells of pheripheral blood in pulmonary tuberculosis patients was 7.5 ±5.2%, showing no difference compared with healthy control(10.0±4.8%). But IL-2R(+) Î³Î´ T cells were higher in tuberculosis compared with healthy control(4.8±5.1% vs. 1.8 ±2.8%). After stimulation with PPD or Con-A, the percentage of Î³Î´ T cells showed no significant change, but IL-2R(+) Î³Î´ T cells increased significantly in both tuberculosis(17.9±13.4%, 57.6±20.2% respectively) and healthy control group(11.5±9.1%, 80.8±9.3%). After stimulation with H37Ra lysate, percentage of Î³Î´ T cells showed increasing tendency in healthy control group, but it was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we could not demonstrate the role Î³Î´ T cells in the peripheral blood of pulmonary tuberculosis. It is suggested that further studies will be needed in the regional sites of M. tuberculosis infection.