Publications (2)14.36 Total impact
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Article: Abnormal expression of intracellular cytokines and chemokine receptors in peripheral blood T lymphocytes from patients with systemic sclerosis.
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ABSTRACT: In patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), there are conflicting findings regarding which is predominant between type 1 and type 2 immune responses. To determine the balance between type 1 and type 2 T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from SSc patients, we investigated the expression of intracellular cytokines, such as interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, and IL-13, and chemokine receptors such as CXCR3 and CCR4 by flow cytometry. The frequency of IFN-gamma-producing cells among CD8+ cells was significantly increased in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (n = 11, P < 0.0001) and limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc; n= 16, P < 0.0001) compared with normal controls (n = 17) while there was no significant difference in the frequency of IL-4- or IL-13-producing cells. In contrast, the frequency of IFN-gamma- or IL-4-producing cells among CD4+ cells was similar between the three groups. Similar results were obtained when absolute numbers were assessed. The frequency of IFN-gamma-producing cells among CD8+ cells inversely correlated with percentage DLco in SSc patients (r = - 0.650, P < 0.005). CXCR3+ CD8+ cells selectively produced IFN-gamma, and the frequency of CXCR3+ CD45RO+ cells among CD8+ cells was higher in lSSc patients (n = 14, P < 0.01) than in normal controls (n = 22). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the frequencies of CXCR3- or CCR4-expressing CD45RO+ cells among CD4+ cells. These results demonstrate the predominance of type 1 cytokine-producing cells (Tc1 cells) in peripheral blood CD8+ T cells from SSc patients, but no definite Th1/Th2 imbalance in CD4+ T cells. Tc1 cells may be associated with pulmonary vascular damage in SSc.Clinical & Experimental Immunology 01/2003; 130(3):548-56. · 3.36 Impact Factor -
Article: CCR4 memory CD4+ T lymphocytes are increased in peripheral blood and lesional skin from patients with atopic dermatitis.
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ABSTRACT: Recent studies have reported that TH1 and TH2 cells express CXCR3 and CCR4, respectively. Our goal was to assess the association of CCR4 and CXCR3 expression with TH2 and TH1 cells and association of CCR4 and CXCR3 expression with inflammation in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Intracellular cytokine production and chemokine receptor expression in blood T cells were examined by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemical expression of chemokine receptors was also investigated in chronically lesional skin. CCR4+ and CXCR3+ CD4+ T cells predominantly produced IL-4 and IFN-gamma, respectively. Although the frequency of CXCR3+ cells among CD4+ CD45RO+ T cells was similar for patients with AD (n = 29) and healthy control subjects (n = 19), patients with severe AD (n = 14) had a reduced frequency of CXCR3+ cells. In contrast, the frequency of CCR4+ cells and the CCR4/CXCR3 ratio were higher in patients with AD (n = 22) than healthy control subjects (n = 16) and correlated with disease severity of AD. The frequency of CCR4+ cells correlated positively with eosinophil numbers and serum IgE levels, whereas the frequency of CXCR3+ cells correlated inversely with eosinophil numbers. The frequency of CCR4+ or CXCR3+ cells was similar in patients with psoriasis (n = 6) and healthy control subjects. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the frequency of CCR4+ cells among CD4+ T cells in chronically lesional skin of patients with AD (n = 9) was higher than that of patients with psoriasis (n = 4). Our data suggest the association of CCR4 expression with TH2 cells, the predominance of CCR4+ cells in blood from patients with AD, and an important role of CCR4 in the migration of TH2 cells from blood into AD lesional skin.Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 03/2001; 107(2):353-8. · 11.00 Impact Factor
