The expression of γδT cells and other lymphocytes in patients with acute and subacute brucellosis and its significance

Abstract

Objective To observe the variation of the levels of γδT cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with acute and subacute brucellosis before and after treatment. Methods A total of 159 patients with brucellosis were enrolled from the Second People′s Hospital of Tianjin between September 2009 and August 2014, of which 122 were with acute phase and 37 with subacute stage. γδT cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of all patients before and after treatment were detected by flow cytometry. Thirty healthy controls were also enrolled. Measurement data were analyzed using t test and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Results The medians of γδT cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte counts of brucellosis patients with acute stage before treatment were 84.0/μL, 780.5/μL and 774.0/μL, respectively, and those with subacute stage were 76.0/μL, 887.0/μL and 890.0/μL, respectively. Those in control group were 49.0/μL, 772.5/μL and 592.5/μL, respectively. γδT cells (U=114.5, P=0.001) and CD8+ T lymphocyte counts (U=1 185.5, P=0.003) in acute phase group were elevated than control group. γδT cells (U=359.0, P=0.013), CD4+ T lymphocyte counts (U=325.5, P=0.004) and CD8+ T lymphocyte counts (U=316.5, P=0.003) in subacute phase group were increased than control group. CD4+ T lymphocyte counts in subacute phase group were elevated than acute phase group (U=1 619.0, P=0.009). There were 31 patients with acute phase and 30 patients with subacute phase who completed 6-week treatment. γδT cells ([120.7±104.9/μL vs 82.2±85.3]/μL vs [120.7±104.9/μL vs 82.2±85.3]/μL; t=3.568, P=0.001), CD4+ T lymphocyte ([802.1±300.6/μL vs 663.0±280.6]/μL vs [802.1±300.6/μL vs 663.0±280.6]/μL; t=2.904, P=0.007) and CD8+ T lymphocytes counts ([908.1±422.7]/μL vs [651.1±241.7]/μL; t=3.885, P=0.001) of brucellosis patients with acute stage before and after treatment were significantly different. γδT cells ([67.1±38.4]/μL vs [48.4±32.1]/μL; t=2.695, P=0.012), CD4+ T lymphocytes ([817.1±147.4/μL vs 650.8±196.5]/μL vs [817.1±147.4/μL vs 650.8±196.5]/μL; t=5.301, P<0.01) and CD8+ T lymphocytes counts ([703.7±191.5/μL vs 537.4±186.0]/μL vs [703.7±191.5/μL vs 537.4±186.0]/μL; t=5.152, P<0.01) of brucellosis patients with subacute stage after treatment were significantly decreased compared with those of patients before treatment. Conclusions γδT cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with acute and subacute brucellosis are all in a state of immune activation. The levels of activation are highly correlated with disease progression. And detection of the variation of these cells contributes to understand the immune state of the acute and subacute brucellosis. Key words: Brucellosis; γδT cells; CD4-positive T-lymphocytes; CD8-positive T-lymphocytes; Flow cytometry