Different Patterns of γδ and αβ T Cell Redistribution in the Mouse after Partial Gastrectomy

Abstract

Background.Stress, including surgical trauma, results in different dysfunctions of the body. In our former experiments on posttraumatic modification of immune response of gastrectomized mice we observed a significant suppression of contact sensitivity. This could be transferred by lymph nodes and spleen T lymphocytes of mice which underwent surgery.Materials and methods.We studied changes in γδ and αβ T cell numbers in peripheral blood, Peyer's patches, and mesenteric lymph nodes after partial gastrectomy (major operation) and after sham gastrectomy (laparotomy—minor operation) in mice. The number of γδ and αβ T cells was counted on the FACSTAR cell sorter before and 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14 days after surgery.Results.In our observations there was a significant increase of percentage of γδ T cells both in Peyer's patches (1.9 ± 0.5 to 10.5 ± 0.3) and in mesenteric lymph nodes (2.7 ± 0.7 to 8.8 ± 3.5) on the third day after partial gastrectomy (546 and 322% of control values, respectively). In contrast in gastrectomized mice the number of αβ T cells in Peyer's patches (38.4 ± 6.8 to 21.2 ± 6.2) and lymph nodes (56.7 ± 15 to 40.4 ± 17) was decreased on day 3 (55 and 71% of control values, respectively). There was a decline in both αβ (18.1 ± 8 to 8.2 ± 1.7) and γδ (6.7 ± 2.8 to 3.9 ± 2) T cell numbers in peripheral blood on days 1, 3, and 7 (45 and 58% of normal values, respectively). Sham operation had no significant influence on αβ and γδ T cell numbers. We observed that after leg amputation the number of γδ T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes was significantly increased on day 3 (0.8 ± 0.2 to 7.7 ± 0.3), 770% of normal. In contrast to this, leg amputation had a negligible effect on T cell counts in Peyer's patches during all periods of observation.Conclusions.We suggest that the major surgical stress (partial gastrectomy) may disturb the normal cell traffic selectively with increased γδ T cell homing in intestinal Peyer's patches and lymph nodes (GALT) and with the cell displacement from peripheral blood to lymphatic organs. The severity and localization of stress may be crucial.