4 research outputs found
At-Risk and Recent-Onset Type 1 Diabetic Subjects Have Increased Apoptosis in the CD4+CD25+(high) T-Cell Fraction
BACKGROUND: In experimental models, Type 1 diabetes T1D can be prevented by adoptive transfer of CD4+CD25+ FoxP3+ suppressor or regulatory T cells. Recent studies have found a suppression defect of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells in human disease. In this study we measure apoptosis of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells to see if it could contribute to reduced suppressive activity of these cells. METHODS AND FINDINGS: T-cell apoptosis was evaluated in children and adolescent 35 females/40 males subjects comprising recent-onset and long-standing T1D subjects and their first-degree relatives, who are at variable risk to develop T1D. YOPRO1/7AAD and intracellular staining of the active form of caspase 3 were used to evaluate apoptosis. Isolated CD4+CD25+(high) and CD4+CD25β T cells were co-cultured in a suppression assay to assess the function of the former cells. We found that recent-onset T1D subjects show increased apoptosis of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells when compared to both control and long-standing T1D subjects p<0.0001 for both groups. Subjects at high risk for developing T1D 2β3Ab+ve show a similar trend p<0.02 and p<0.01, respectively. On the contrary, in long-standing T1D and T2D subjects, CD4+CD25+(high) T cell apoptosis is at the same level as in control subjects pβ=βNS. Simultaneous intracellular staining of the active form of caspase 3 and FoxP3 confirmed recent-onset FoxP3+ve CD4+CD25+(high) T cells committed to apoptosis at a higher percentage 15.3Β±2.2 compared to FoxP3+ve CD4+CD25+(high) T cells in control subjects 6.1Β±1.7 p<0.002. Compared to control subjects, both recent-onset T1D and high at-risk subjects had significantly decreased function of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells pβ=β0.0007 and pβ=β0.007, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is a higher level of ongoing apoptosis in CD4+CD25+(high) T cells in recent-onset T1D subjects and in subjects at high risk for the disease. This high level of CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell apoptosis could be a contributing factor to markedly decreased suppressive potential of these cells in recent-onset T1D subjects
Figure 1
<p>Representative FACS pictures of CD4+CD25β and CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells using YOPRO1/7AAD method from representative subjects of clinical groups. Apoptosis was calculated as the percentage of apoptotic cells YOPRO1+ve/7AAD-ve amongst live cells total 7AAD-ve cells comprising both YOPRO1+ve and YOPRO1-ve cells. This is simply designated as YOPRO1+ve.</p
Figure 3
<p>Comparison of apoptosis measurement in the same subjects using two different methods. a CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells apoptosis in three clinical groups using YOPRO/7AAD stain combination; control subjects CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells apoptosis significantly differs from both recent-onset T1D and high at-risk subjects pβ=β0.0001 and pβ=β0.01, respectively. Apoptotic cells are presented on y-axis as YOPRO1+ve. b CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells apoptosis in the same subjects using intracellular staining of aaCas3. CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells apoptosis from control subjects significantly differs from both recent-onset T1D and high at-risk subjects pβ=β0.0006 and pβ=β0.009, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between two apoptosis measurement methods in control and recent-onset T1D subjects is significant rβ=β0.59 and pβ=β0.0006. Apoptotic cells are presented on y-axis as aaCas3+ve.</p
Figure 5
<p>CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells suppressive potential across major clinical groups. Control subjects show statistically higher suppression compared to the other three groups recent-onset T1D, high at-risk and longstanding T1D subjects pβ=β0.0007, pβ=β0.007 and pβ=β0.04, respectively. Standardized suppression assay was performed with 1Γ10<sup>4</sup> responder T cells, 10<sup>4</sup> irradiated PBMCs 5000rad alone and in co-culture with CD4+CD25+<sup>high</sup> T cells in 1βΆ10 ratio, stimulated with aCD3 coated beads 1ug/ml, 3 beads/per cell.</p