Background: To investigate the characteristics of γδ T cells as well as the Vδ1(+) and Vδ2(+) subsets in the peripheral blood in liver allograft recipients.
Methods: Sixty-three liver transplant recipients were enrolled in this study: 26 cases with acute allograft rejection (Gr-AR), and 37 cases with stable allograft liver function (Gr-SF). The frequencies of γδ T cells, the Vδ1(+) and Vδ2(+) subsets, and interleukin (IL)-10-producing Vδ1(+) γδ T cells in the peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. The relationship between liver function parameters and the Vδ1(+)/Vδ2(+) ratio was analyzed.
Results: The frequency of the Vδ1(+) subset and the Vδ1(+)/Vδ2(+) ratio in Gr-SF was significantly higher than that in Gr-AR; in contrast, the frequency of the Vδ2(+) subset in Gr-SF was markedly lower than that in Gr-AR. In addition, there was no significant difference in the frequency of γδ T cells between the Gr-AR and Gr-SF groups. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the Vδ1(+)/Vδ2(+) ratio with the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in Gr-AR.
Conclusions: Vδ1(+) γδ T cells may have a potential role in maintaining stable graft liver function, and Vδ2(+) γδ T cells may be associated with liver allograft rejection. The Vδ1(+)/Vδ2(+) ratio could serve as a prognostic marker for acute rejection after liver transplantation.
Keywords: ALT; AST; Acute rejection; CTLA; Gr-AR; Gr-SF; IL; Liver transplantation; NK; NKT; T helper; TGF-β; Th; acute rejection group; alanine aminotransferase; aspartate aminotransferase; cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen; interleukin; natural killer; natural killer T; stable function group; transforming growth factor; γδ T cell.
© 2013.