Diminished Interleukin-7 receptor expression on T-cell subsets in tuberculosis patients

• Published in: Human immunology 2023-10, Vol.84 (10), p.543-550
• Main Authors: Acheampong, Isaac, Minadzi, Difery, Adankwah, Ernest, Aniagyei, Wilfred, Vivekanandan, Monika M., Yeboah, Augustine, Arthur, Joseph F., Lamptey, Millicent, Abass, Mohammed K., Kumbel, Francis, Osei-Yeboah, Francis, Gawusu, Amidu, Laing, Edwin F., Batsa Debrah, Linda, Owusu, Dorcas O., Debrah, Alexander, Mayatepek, Ertan, Seyfarth, Julia, Phillips, Richard O., Jacobsen, Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Immunopathology; Interleukin-7 receptor; T-cell subsets; Treatment; Tuberculosis
• ISSN: 0198-8859; 1879-1166
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2023.08.141

Immunopathology in human tuberculosis affects T-cell phenotype and functions. Previous studies identified impaired T-cell sensitivity to Interleukin (IL)-7 accompanied by lower IL-7 receptor α-chain (IL-7Rα) expression in patients with acute tuberculosis. In the present study, we characterized affected T-cell subsets and determined the influence of tuberculosis disease severity and treatment response. Tuberculosis patients (n = 89) as well as age- and gender-matched asymptomatic contacts (controls, n = 47) were recruited in Ghana. Mycobacterium (M.) tuberculosis sputum burden was monitored prior to and during treatment. Blood samples from all patients and controls were analyzed for IL-7Rα expression and T-cell markers by multi-colour flow cytometry. CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells of tuberculosis patients showed generally lower IL-7Rα expression as compared to controls. Concomitantly, tuberculosis patients had higher proportions of naïve and lower proportions of memory CD4+ T-cells. Notably, a subset of CD27 positive central memory T-cells (Tcm), which lacked IL-7Rα expression was enriched in tuberculosis patients as compared to controls. M. tuberculosis sputum burden was not associated with differences in IL-7Rα expression. Treatment duration and response showed no clear effects although IL-7Rα expression patterns were highly variable. These results suggested generally impaired generation of memory CD4+ T-cells and enrichment of a Tcm subset without IL-7Rα expression in patients with tuberculosis.