Oligoclonal expansions of mucosal T cells in Crohn's disease predominate in NKG2D-expressing CD4 T cells

Mucosal Immunol. 2014 Mar;7(2):325-34. doi: 10.1038/mi.2013.51. Epub 2013 Aug 14.

Abstract

Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory pathology of the mucosal intestine that results from uncontrolled immune response towards commensal microbes. Clonal expansions of T cells have been found in patients with CD suggesting an antigen-specific stimulation of pathogenic T cells. Here we show, using T-cell receptor repertoire analysis by real-time PCR, that oligoclonal expansions are found in both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in the blood and intestinal mucosa of CD patients. The majority of CD4+ T-cell-expanded clones are CD4+NKG2D+ T cells. These clonal expansions were found in both inflamed and neighboring healthy tissue and were persisting during the course of the disease. The presence of these CD4+NKG2D+ T-cell clones at the macroscopically normal edge of the surgical resection might be predictive of inflammation relapse post surgery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Crohn Disease / immunology*
  • Crohn Disease / metabolism*
  • Crohn Disease / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ileum / immunology
  • Ileum / metabolism
  • Ileum / pathology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / metabolism
  • Recurrence
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta