Human Peripheral Blood CD8+ CD28− T Cells of Renal Allograft Recipients Do Not Express FOXP3 Protein

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings 2011-10, Vol.43 (8), p.2917-2921
• Main Authors: Korecka-Polak, A, Duszota, A, Wierzbicki, P, Niemczyk, M, Bocian, K, Kłosowska, D, Pa̧czek, L, Górski, A, Korczak-Kowalska, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; CD28 Antigens - blood; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Chronic Disease; Cyclosporine - therapeutic use; Female; Forkhead Transcription Factors - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Graft Rejection - blood; Graft Rejection - immunology; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Kidney Transplantation - immunology; Kidney Transplantation - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Sirolimus - therapeutic use; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; Tissue, organ and graft immunology
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2011.08.016

Abstract Introduction In recent studies, the FOXP3 molecule has been suggested to be a marker of a suppressor subset of human CD8+ CD28− T cells based on correlations between the level of its mRNA and allograft function. Because this transcriptional factor produces a protein, we suggest that these correlations should focus on the FOXP3 protein. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether FOXP3 protein was present in cells of the CD8+ CD28− population in the peripheral blood of renal allograft recipients and whether the level of CD8+ CD28− FOXP3+ cells correlated with allograft function. Methods The study was performed on 30 renal allograft recipients with uneventful stable courses (n = 18) or biopsy-proven chronic rejection (n = 12). The immunosuppression was based on cyclosporine (n = 12) or rapamycin (n = 9). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from recipient blood samples were labeled with anti-CD8 and anti-CD28 MAbs conjugated with fluorochromes. After incubation, washing, and labeling using a PE anti-human FOXP3 Kit, we determined the percentage of cells by flow cytometry. Results FOXP3 protein expression was not observed either in the CD8+ CD28− population, or the whole populations of CD8+ or CD28− cells among patient groups. Conclusions The expression of FOXP3 protein in CD8+ CD28− cells seems to be of a questionable value as a diagnostic tool for allograft function, it is probably not a marker for the CD8+ CD28− T cell subset.