Foxp3(high) and Foxp3(low) Treg cells differentially correlate with T helper 1 and natural killer cells in peripheral blood

• Published in: Human immunology 2011-08, Vol.72 (8), p.621-626
• Main Authors: Lee, Sung Ki, Kim, Jee Yun, Jang, Byung Woo, Hur, Sung Eun, Na, Baeg Ju, Lee, Millina, Fukui, Atsushi, Gilman-Sachs, Alice, Kwak-Kim, Joanne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antigens, CD - genetics; Antigens, CD - immunology; Antigens, CD - metabolism; Cytokines - biosynthesis; Cytokines - immunology; Female; Flow Cytometry; Forkhead Transcription Factors - genetics; Forkhead Transcription Factors - metabolism; Gene Expression; Humans; Immunophenotyping; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Killer Cells, Natural - metabolism; Lymphocyte Count; Prospective Studies; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - metabolism; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th1 Cells - metabolism
• ISSN: 1879-1166
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2011.03.013

Regulatory T (Treg) cells interact with B, natural killer (NK), and dendritic cells in addition to other T cells. In this study, we aimed at determining whether Foxp3(+) T cells and subpopulations have any correlation with other lymphocyte subsets and their functions in a systemic immune environment. Peripheral blood was drawn from 22 nonpregnant healthy women. T, B, and NK cell subpopulations were measured by immunophenotype analysis. Intracellular Foxp3, cytokine expression (tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], interferon-γ [IFN-γ], and interleukin-10 [IL]-10), and NK-cell cytotoxicity were analyzed by flow cytometric analysis. Correlations between Foxp3(+) T cells and other immune variables were analyzed under control of age and menstrual phases. Foxp3(+), Foxp3(low), and CD4(+)Foxp3(+) cells significantly correlated with CD4(+)CD25(+), CD4(+)CD25(dim), and CD4(+)CD25(bright) cells. Foxp3(+), Foxp3(low), and CD4(+)Foxp3(+) cells positively correlated with CD3(+) and CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells, but negatively correlated with CD3(-)CD56(+) and CD3(-)CD56(dim) NK cells. CD4(+)Foxp3(high) Treg cells were positively correlated with CD3(+)CD4(+)TNF-α(+) (p = 0.014) and negatively correlated with CD3(+)CD8(+)IL-10(+) T cells (p = 0.001). The ratio of type 1/2 cytokine-producing CD3(+)CD8(+) cells demonstrated a positive correlation with CD4(+)Foxp3(high) cells (p ≤ 0.01). CD8(+)Foxp3(+) cells were positively correlated with CD3(+)CD4(+)IL-10(+) cells (p = 0.007) and negatively correlated with CD3(+)CD8(+)TNF-α(+) cells (p = 0.008). In conclusion, each Foxp3(+) Treg cell subpopulation has unique immune interaction, which controls particular subsets of lymphocytes.