G-CSF induces a potentially tolerant gene and immunophenotype profile in T cells in vivo

Clin Immunol. 2009 Jul;132(1):83-92. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2009.03.509. Epub 2009 Apr 2.

Abstract

G-CSF can induce functional immune tolerance in man. In this study, purified T cells from G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donors were analysed by gene expression profiling and immunophenotyping. Results suggested a predominantly immune tolerant profile with upregulation of genes related to Th2 and Treg cells, downregulation of genes associated with Th1 cells, cytotoxicity, antigen presentation and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and overexpression of negative regulators of Th17 differentiation. Immunophenotyping revealed that during G-CSF exposure donors had reduced levels of T cells with a Th17 phenotype (CD4+IL-17A+CCR6+IL-23R+), more than three times lower compared to normal controls. G-CSF also led to increased levels of CD4+CD25highCD45RO+ Treg cells. Furthermore, mRNA levels of RORgammat, a Th17-specific transcription factor, decreased in T cells isolated from G-CSF-mobilized PBSC harvests. Th17 cells have been implicated in autoimmune diseases and GVHD pathophysiology. Our study is the first to report the effect of G-CSF on the Th17 subpopulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Blood Donors
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / pharmacology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization*
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-17 / metabolism
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid / genetics
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Interleukin-17
  • Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3
  • RORC protein, human
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor