This dissertation addresses the role for Janus Kinase 3 (Jak3) in CD4+ T cell homeostasis and function. Jak3 is a protein tyrosine kinase whose activity is essential for signals mediated by the γc dependent cytokines IL-2, -4, -7, -9, -15, and -21. Previous data have demonstrated that peripheral CD4+ T cells from Jak3-deficient mice have a memory phenotype and are functionally impaired in both proliferative and IL-2 responses in vitro. Interestingly, Jak3/γc activity has been previously shown to play a role in the prevention of T cell anergy. These studies were initiated to more precisely define the role for Jak3/γc cytokines in the prevention of T cell anergy and the maintenance of functional CD4+ T cell responses. We began to address this question by assessing global gene expression changes between wild type and Jak3-/- CD4+ T cells. These data indicate that Jak3-/- CD4+ T cells have an increase in gene expression levels of inhibitory surface receptors as well as immunosuppressive cytokines. Further analyses confirmed that Jak3-deficient T cells express high levels of PD-1, secrete a Trl-type cytokine profile following direct ex vivo activation, and suppress the proliferation of wild type T cells in vitro. These characteristics indicate that CD4+ Jak3-/- T cells share properties with regulatory T cell subsets that have an important role in peripheral tolerance and the prevention of autoimmunity. We next addressed whether these regulatory characteristics were T cell intrinsic or rather the result of expanding in a Jak3-deficient microenvironment characterized by a number of immune abnormalities and a disrupted splenic architecture. Jak3-/- CD4+ T cells proliferate in vivoin a lymphopenic environment and selectively acquire regulatory T cell characteristics in the absence of any additional activation signals. While the precise mechanism by which Jak3-deficient T cells acquire these characteristics remains unclear, our data indicate that one important component is a T cell-intrinsic requirement for Jak3 signaling. These findings indicate several interesting aspects of T cell biology. First, these studies, demonstrate that the homeostatic proliferation of CD4+ T cells is not dependent on signaling via γc-dependent cytokine receptors. And, second, that the weak activation signals normally associated with homeostatic expansion are sufficient to drive Jak3-/- T cells into a non-conventional differentiation program. Previous data indicate that, for wild type T cells, signaling through both the TCR as well as γc-dependent cytokine receptors promote the homeostatic proliferation of T cells in lymphopenic hosts. Since Jak3-/- T cells are unable to receive these cytokine signals, their proliferation is likely to be wholly dependent on TCR signaling. As a consequence of this TCR signaling, Jak3-/- T cells proliferate, but in addition, are induced to up regulate PD-1 and to selectively activate the IL-10 locus while shutting off the production of IL-2. Since this fate does not occur for wild type T cells in a comparable environment, it is likely that the unique differentiation pathway taken by Jak3-/- T cells reflects the effects of TCR signaling in the absence of γc-dependent cytokine signaling. Interestingly, wild type T cells undergoing homeostatic expansion in lymphopenic hosts show many common patterns of gene expression to freshly-purified unmanipulated Jak3-/- T cells. For instance, micro array analysis of gene expression in wild type CD4+ T cells after lymphopenia induced homeostatic expansion show a similar pattern of upregulation in surface markers (PD-1 and LAG-3), and cytokine signaling molecules (IL-10 and IFN-γ cytokine, receptors, and inducible gene targets) to that of Jak3-/- CD4+ T cells immediately ex vivo. These data suggest that the process of homeostatic proliferation normally induces immune attenuation and peripheral tolerance mechanisms, but that full differentiation into a regulatory T cell phenotype is prevented by γc-dependent cytokine signals. Taken together these data suggest that Jak3 plays an important role in tempering typical immune attenuation mechanisms employed to maintain T cell homeostasis and peripheral tolerance.

Σκοπός. Η διαβητική κετοξέωση (ΔΚ) και η υπεργλυκαιμική υπερωσμωτική κατάσταση (ΥΥΚ) είναι δύο από τις πιο σοβαρές οξείες επιπλοκές του Σακχαρώδη διαβήτη, που εξακολουθούν να αποτελούν σημαντική αιτία νοσηρότητας και θνητότητας μεταξύ των διαβητικών. Οι λοιμώξεις, συχνός εκλυτικός παράγων και επιπλοκή της ΔΚ και ΥΥΚ, αποτελούν την κύρια αιτία θανάτου και η έγκαιρη διάγνωση και αντιμετώπιση της σήψης είναι κριτικής σημασίας για την επιβίωση των ασθενών. Διερευνήσαμε την επίδραση των ανωτέρω καταστάσεων στην ανοσοποιητική απόκριση, μελετώντας τους υποπληθυσμούς των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων – παραμέτρους οξείας φάσης και την ιντερλευκίνη 6 (IL-6) στο περιφερικό αίμα των ασθενών μας, σε μια προσπάθεια να διαπιστώσουμε τυχόν υποκείμενες διαταραχές και να προσδιορίσουμε πιθανόν διαγνωστικούς και προγνωστικούς δείκτες για τη σήψη. Μέθοδος. Η μελέτη μας περιέλαβε 61 διαβητικούς ασθενείς με ΔΚ ή ΥΥΚ. Ξεχωρίσαμε μια ομάδα ασθενών που είχαν συμπτώματα Συνδρόμου συστηματικής φλεγμονώδους αντίδρασης (SIRS). Προσδιορίσαμε στον ορό όλων των ασθενών τις συγκεντρώσεις των παραγόντων οξείας φάσης (συμπεριλαμβανομένης της C αντιδρώσας πρωτεΐνης ,CRP) και της IL-6 (ως κύρια κυτταροκίνη για την παραγωγή πρωτεϊνών οξείας φάσης), κατά την εισαγωγή και στην ύφεση (μετά τη βελτίωση των συμπτωμάτων και σε κατάσταση ευγλυκαιμίας). Σε μια ομάδα 28 ασθενών με ΔΚ ή ΥΥΚ (σε σύγκριση και με αντίστοιχη ομάδα ελέγχου) μελετήσαμε επιπλέον υποπληθυσμούς των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων, τα ολικά (CD3) / τα βοηθητικά (CD4) / τα κατασταλτικά (CD8) Τ κύτταρα και τα κύτταρα φυσικοί φονείς (ΝΚ) χρησιμοποιώντας μονοκλωνικά αντισώματα και μικροσκόπιο ανοσοφθορισμού, προ και αμέσως μετά τη διόρθωση της μεταβολικής διαταραχής. Αποτελέσματα. Παρατηρήσαμε ότι οι υποπληθυσμοί των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων ήταν σημαντικά ελαττωμένοι κατά την εισαγωγή, συγκρινόμενοι με τους υγιείς μάρτυρες (ενώ οι περισσότερες μελέτες διαβητικών τύπου 1 καταγράφουν αυξημένα βοηθητικά Τ κύτταρα) και παρέμειναν και αμέσως μετά τη διόρθωση της μεταβολικής διαταραχής. Οι ασθενείς που τελικά απεβίωσαν είχαν σημαντικά ελαττωμένους τους υποπληθυσμούς των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων (εκτός των ΝΚ κυττάρων) συγκρινόμενοι και με τους υγιείς μάρτυρες και με όσους ασθενείς επιβίωσαν. Από τους 61 ασθενείς της μελέτης με ΔΚ ή ΥΥΚ, οι 49 ασθενείς είχαν συμπτώματα SIRS. Οι 27 ασθενείς είχαν SIRS χωρίς στοιχεία λοίμωξης, ενώ οι 22 ασθενείς είχαν SIRS με αποδεδειγμένη λοίμωξη. Διαπιστώσαμε σημαντικά αυξημένες συγκεντρώσεις CRP και IL-6 στον ορό των σηπτικών διαβητικών ασθενών συγκριτικά με όσους ασθενείς μας είχαν SIRS χωρίς λοίμωξη. Οι ασθενείς που τελικά απεβίωσαν είχαν σημαντικά πιο αυξημένες συγκεντρώσεις CRP και IL-6 κατά την εισαγωγή, που μειώθηκαν σημαντικά στην ύφεση. Συμπεράσματα. Η διαβητική κετοξέωση και η υπεργλυκαιμική υπερωσμωτική κατάσταση προκαλούν συχνά κλινικό σύνδρομο που ομοιάζει με σύνδρομο συστηματικής φλεγμονώδους αντίδρασης. Διαταραχές στην ισορροπία των υποπληθυσμών των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων, κυρίως η ελάττωση των βοηθητικών Τ κυττάρων μπορεί να συμβάλλουν στην υψηλή θνησιμότητα αυτών των μεταβολικών διαταραχών. Οι μετρήσεις των συγκεντρώσεων C αντιδρώσας πρωτεΐνης και ιντερλευκίνης 6 στον ορό αυτής της ομάδας των διαβητικών ασθενών, είναι ένας χρήσιμος τρόπος αποκλεισμού λοίμωξης και επιβεβαίωσης και παρακολούθησης της σήψης. / Aims / hypothesis. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) are two of the most serious acute complications of diabetes mellitus, being important causes of morbidity and mortality among patients with diabetes. Infection is a common precipitating event in DKA and HHS and the major cause of death. An early diagnosis of sepsis in patients with DKA and HHS is crucial and life saving. We studied the immune responses in these states, investigating the peripheral T lymphocyte subsets, acute phase reactants and interleukin 6 (IL-6) to find out how useful these might be for identifying sepsis. Methods. Sixty one diabetic patients with DKA or HHS were enrolled. Patients with signs and symptoms of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) were identified. Acute phase reactants, including serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6, the main cytokine responsible for the induction of acute phase proteins, were measured (concentrations in peripheral blood) on admission and when patients were clinically improved and were euglycaemic. Peripheral T lymphocyte subsets including total (CD3), helper (CD4) and suppressor (CD8) T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, were studied in twenty one patients with DKA plus seven patients with HHS and twenty eight healthy matched control (using monoclonal antibodies), prior to and after treatment of metabolic disorders. Results. Peripheral T lymphocyte subsets were decreased in the twenty eight patients with DKA and HHS in admission compared to healthy controls (while helper T cells are mostly increased in diabetics type 1), and remained so after treatment of metabolic disorders. Patients who finally died had significantly decreased T lymphocyte subsets (except NK cells) compared with both healthy controls and patients who survived. A total of forty nine out of sixty one patients with DKA and HHS had signs of SIRS. Twenty seven patients had SIRS and no signs of infection and twenty two patients had SIRS due to proven infection. We detected a significant increase in serum CRP and IL-6 values in patients infected compared to patients with no septic SIRS. Patients who finally died had much higher levels of these proteins, while there was a prompt reduction of serum CRP and IL-6 early during remission. Conclusion / interpretation. Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state can often cause a clinical syndrome resembling systemic inflammatory response syndrome. An imbalance of subpopulations of T lymphocytes, especially decreased helper T cells (CD4), may be correlated with the high morbidity and mortality in these states. Determination of serum C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 is a useful way of early excluding an underlying infection as well as confirming and monitoring sepsis.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma. / Bibliography: leaves 122-140.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma. / Bibliography: leaves 137-158.

CD4 T cells and B cells are cells associated with the adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system is designed to mount a rapid antigen-specific response to pathogens by way of clonal expansions of T and B cells bearing discrete antigen-specific receptors. During viral infection, interactions between CD4 T cells and B cells occur in a dynamic process, where B cells that bind to the virus internalize and degrade virus particles. The B cells then present viral antigens to virus-specific CD4 T cells that activate the B cells and cause them to proliferate and differentiate into virus-specific antibody-secreting cells. Yet, non-specific hypergammaglobulinemia and the production of self-reactive antibodies occur during many viral infections, and studies have suggested that viral antigen-presenting B cells may become polyclonally activated by CD4 T cells in vivo in the absence of viral engagement of the B cell receptor. This presumed polyclonal B cell activation associated with virus infection is of great medical interest because it may be involved in the initiation of autoimmunity or contribute to the long-term maintenance of B cell memory. In order to directly examine the interactions that occur between T cells and B cells, I asked what would happen to a polyclonal population of B cells that are presenting viral antigens, if they were transferred into virus-infected hosts. I performed these studies in mice using the well-characterized lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model of infection. I found that the transferred population of antigen-presenting B cells had two fates. Some antigen-expressing B cells were killed in vivo by CD4 T cells in the first day after transfer into LCMV-infected hosts. However, B cells that survived the cytotoxicity underwent a dynamic polyclonal activation manifested by proliferation, changes in phenotype, and antibody production. The specific elimination of antigen-presenting B cells following adoptive transfer into LCMV-infected hosts is the first evidence that MHC class II-restricted killing can occur in vivo during viral infection. This killing was specific, because only cells expressing specific viral peptides were eliminated, and they were only eliminated in LCMV-infected mice. In addition to peptide specificity, killing was restricted to MHC class II high cells that expressed the B cell markers B220 and CD19. Mice depleted of CD4 T cells prior to adoptive transfer did not eliminate virus-specific targets, suggesting that CD4 T cells are required for this killing. I found that CD4 T cell-dependent cytotoxicity cannot be solely explained by one mechanism, but Fas-FasL interactions and perforin are mechanisms used to induce lysis. Polyclonal B cell activation, hypothesized to be the cause of virus-induced hypergammaglobulinemia, has never been formally described in vivo. Based on previous studies of virus-induced hypergammaglobulinemia, which showed that CD4 T cells were required and that hypergammaglobulinemia was more likely to occur when virus grows to high titer in vivo, it was proposed that the B cells responsible for hypergammaglobulinemia may be expressing viral antigens to virus-specific CD4 T cells in vivo. CD4 T cells would then activate the B cells. However, because the antibodies produced during hypergammaglobulinemia are predominantly not virus-specific, nonvirus-specific B cells must be presenting viral antigens in vivo. In my studies, the adoptively transferred B cells that survived the MHC class II-restricted cytotoxicity became polyclonally activated in LCMV-infected mice. Most of the surviving naïve B cells presenting class II MHC peptides underwent an extensive differentiation process involving both proliferation and secretion of antibodies. Both events required CD4 cells and CD40/CD40L interactions to occur but B cell division did not require MyD88-dependent signaling, type I interferon signaling, or interferon γ signaling within B cells. No division or activation of B cells was detected at all in virus-infected hosts in the absence of cognate CD4 T cells and class II antigen. B cells taken from immunologically tolerant donor LCMV carrier mice with high LCMV antigen load became activated following adoptive transfer into LCMV-infected hosts, suggesting that B cells can present sufficient antigen for this process during a viral infection. A transgenic population of B cells presenting viral antigens was also stimulated to undergo polyclonal activation in LCMV-infected mice. Due to the high proportion of B cells stimulated by virus infection and the fact that transgenic B cells can be activated in this manner, I conclude that virus-induced polyclonal B cell activation is independent of B cell receptor specificity. This approach, therefore, formally demonstrates and quantifies a virus-induced polyclonal proliferation and differentiation of B cells which can occur in a B cell receptor-independent manner. By examining the fate of antigen-presenting B cells following adoptive transfer into LCMV-infected mice, I have been able to observe dynamic interactions between virus-specific CD4 T cells and B cells during viral infection. Adoptive transfer of antigen-presenting B cells results in CD4 T cell-mediated killing and polyclonal activation of B cells during LCMV infection. Studies showing requirements for CD4 T cells or MHC class II to control viral infections must now take MHC class II-restricted cytotoxicity into account. Polyclonal B cell activation after viral infection has the potential to enhance the maintenance of B cell memory or lead to the onset of autoimmune disease.

Previously, our lab demonstrated that heterologous immunity could result in either gain or loss of protective immunity and alteration in immune pathology following infection by a second un-related pathogen. One of the prototypical models to study T cell-mediated heterologous immunity involves two distantly related arenaviruses, namely lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Pichinde virus (PV). Each virus encodes a cross-reactive CD8 epitope that has six out of eight in amino acid (aa) similarity with respect to its counterpart at the position 205-212 of the nucleoprotein (NP205). Heterologous challenge between LCMV and PV results in 1) expansion of the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cell responses and alteration of the immunodominance hierarchy and 2) partial protective immunity (heterologous immunity). Our lab showed that cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires become extremely narrowed following a heterologous challenge between LCMV and PV. Therefore, I questioned if LCMV NP205 epitope escape variants could be isolated during a dominant but narrowed crossVI reactive NP205-specific CTL response. In the first part of my thesis, I describe the isolation of a LCMV NP-V207A CTL escape variant in vivo using PV-immune animals challenged with LCMV clone 13. The LCMV NP-V207A variant contains a point mutation, which results in the switching of valine to alanine at the third non-anchoring residue of the LCMV NP205 CD8 epitope. Immunization of mice with the LCMV NP-V207A variant results in a significantly diminished cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cell response. This suggests that the point mutation is responsible for the loss in the immunogenicity of the LCMV NP205 CD8 epitope. In addition, an in vitrorescued(r) recombinant LCMV variant (r/V207A) that encodes the original mutation also induces a highly diminished cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cell response in mice. In agreement with the result obtained from the intracellular cytokine assays (ICS), MHC-Ig dimers loaded with the LCMV NP205 (V-A) peptide could only detect a minute population of cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells in mice infected with r/V207A variant virus. All the data indicate that the point mutation results in a significant loss in immunogenicity of the LCMV NP205 CD8 epitope. So far, no direct link between the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells and heterologous immunity had been established in this system. Therefore, we immunized mice with either LCMV WT or the LCMV NP-V207A variant virus and showed that a significant loss of heterologous immunity is associated with the group immunized with LCMV NP-V207A variant virus. Again, r/V207Aimmune animals also displayed a significant loss in heterologous immunity following PV challenge. This suggests that the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells mediate the majority of heterologous immunity between LCMV and PV in vivo. In comparison to the PV-immune control group, PV clearance kinetics mediated by the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells were significantly delayed. Finally, these data also suggest that bystander activation plays very little role in heterologous immunity between LCMV and PV. Many studies in murine systems and humans suggest that cross-reactive T cells are often associated with immune pathology. We showed that in mice that were sequentially immunized with PV and LCMV (PV+LCMV WT double immune mice), there was a development of a high incidence and high level of immune pathology known as acute fatty necrosis (AFN) following a final PV challenge. The data suggest that these cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells might play an important role in immune pathogenesis. Therefore, we asked if the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells play a role in immune pathogenesis by comparing the incidence of AFN between the (PV+LCMV WT) and the (PV+LCMV NP-V207A) double immune mice following a final PV challenge. In agreement with our hypothesis, the result showed the (PV+LCMV NP-V207A) double immune mice developed a significantly lower incidence of AFN compared to the (PV+LCMV WT) double immune mice. However, linear correlation studies comparing the frequency of different antigen-specific CD8 T cell populations within the (PV+LCMV WT) double immune mice before challenge and the severity of AFN following the PV challenge suggest that two opposing antigen-specific CD8 T cell populations are involved in determining the final outcome of the immune pathology. The PV NP38-45-specific CD8 T cell response (PV NP38) appears to be more protective than the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cell response. In addition, a positive linear correlation between the ratio of cross-reactive NP205 to PV NP38 and the severity of AFN seem to suggest that these cross-reactive populations are important contributors to immune pathogenesis. Peptide titration studies examining the functional avidities to different antigenic specificities suggest that both populations consist of high avidity TCR and peptide MHC (TCR:pMHC) interactions. However, skewing within the cross-reactive NP205 specific CD8 T cell response towards the LCMV NP205 epitope response in one of the (PV+LCMV WT) double immune mice suggests that cross-reactive NP205 specific CD8 T cells could constitute a sub-optimal response to a PV challenge. In summary, I questioned what might be some of the immunological consequences of heterologous immunity in this model. First of all, we have established a direct link between the cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cell response and heterologous immunity in LCMV and PV. Second of all, I demonstrated that a LCMV NP205 epitope escape variant could be selected in vivo under the conditions of heterologous immunity. In addition, I showed that PV clearance kinetic was significantly delayed in cross-reactive NP205-mediated heterologous immunity as compared to homologous challenge. Finally, we demonstrated that cross-reactive NP205-specific CD8 T cells could play an important role in immune pathogenesis in this model. However, correlation data indicate that two opposing antigen-specific CD8 T cell populations could ultimately decide the outcome and magnitude of immune pathology in each individual mouse. All the data presented above strongly suggest that the cross-reactive NP205 CD8 T cells play a crucial role in immune pathology in this model system by 1) interfering with the regular establishment of immunodominance hierarchy orders, or 2) exhibiting a sub-optimal protective immunity due to the nature of the cross-reactive epitope.

INTRODUÇÃO: Estudos experimentais suportam a evidência de leucopenia persistente desencadeada pela morte encefálica (ME). OBJETIVO: Esse estudo teve como objetivo investigar o comportamento leucocitário na medula óssea e no sangue após a morte encefálica em ratos. MÉTODOS: A morte encefálica foi induzida através da inserção e insuflação rápida de um cateter no espaço intracraniano. Ratos falso-operados (FO) foram apenas trepanados. Decorridas seis horas, as células da medula óssea, coletadas da cavidade femural, foram utilizadas para as contagens total e diferencial e analisadas por citometria de fluxo para a caracterização das subpopulações linfocitárias, a expressão de moléculas de adesão granulocíticas e apoptose/necrose (método de Anexina V/Iodeto de Propídio (PI)). RESULTADOS: Ratos com ME apresentaram uma redução de 30% no número de células da medula óssea devido à redução de linfócitos (40%) e células segmentadas (45%). As subpopulações de linfócitos na medula óssea foram semelhantes nos animais ME e FO (CD3, p=0,1; CD4, p=0,4; CD3/CD4, p=0,4; CD5, p=0,4, CD3/CD5, p=0,2; CD8, p=0,8). A expressão de L-selectina e beta2-Integrinas nos granulócitos também não diferiram entre os grupos (CD11a, p=0,9; CD11b/c, p=0,7; CD62L, p=0,1). Não existem diferenças nas porcentagens de apoptose e de necrose (Anexina V, p=0,73; PI, p=0,21; Anexina V/PI, p=0,29). CONCLUSÃO: Os dados sugerem que a redução na mobilização de células da medula óssea para o sangue, desencadeada pela morte encefálica, não se relaciona a alterações de subpopulações de linfócitos, expressão de moléculas de adesão granulocíticas, ou apoptose e necrose / INTRODUCTION: Experimental findings support the evidence of a persistent leucopenia triggered by brain death (BD). AIMS: This study aimed to investigate leukocyte behavior in bone marrow and blood after BD in rats. METHODS: BD was induced by quickly inflation of an intracranial balloon catheter. Sham operated (SH) rats were trepanned only. Six hours thereafter bone marrow cells harvested from the femoral cavity were used for total and differential counts, and analyzed by flow cytometry to characterize lymphocyte subsets, granulocyte adhesion molecules expression, and apoptosis/necrosis (annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) protocol). RESULTS: BD rats exhibited a 30% reduction in bone marrow cells due to a reduction in lymphocytes (40%) and segmented cells (45%). Bone marrow lymphocyte subsets were similar in BD and SH rats (CD3, p=0.1; CD4, p=0.4; CD3/CD4, p=0.4; CD5, p=0.4, CD3/CD5, p=0.2; CD8, p=0.8). Expression of L-selectin and ?2-integrins on granulocytes did not differ (CD11a, p=0.9; CD11b/c, p=0.7; CD62L, p=0.1). There were no differences in the percentage of apoptosis and necrosis (Annexin V, p=0.73; PI, p=0.21; Annexin V/PI, p=0.29). CONCLUSIONS: Data presented suggest that the down-regulation of the bone marrow triggered by BD is not related to changes in lymphocyte subsets, granulocyte adhesion molecules expression, or apoptosis and necrosis

A imunodeficiência comum variável (ICV) é a imunodeficiência primária sintomática mais frequente em adultos, caracterizada pela redução dos níveis séricos de IgG e de ao menos um dos isotipos IgA ou IgM. Em aproximadamente 50% dos casos a imunidade celular também está comprometida, podendo ser detectadas alterações quantitativas e funcionais das populações de linfócitos T. Os pacientes geralmente cursam com infecções crônicas ou recorrentes do trato respiratório e gastrointestinal, sendo comuns também as associações com doenças autoimunes e inflamatórias, doença granulomatosa, linfoproliferações benignas e malignidades como carcinomas e, em especial, linfomas. Como decorrência, os pacientes com ICV mantêm um quadro de inflamação crônica, maior risco de desnutrição, osteoporose e perda de massa muscular, além de menor aptidão cardiorrespiratória e comprometimento da função muscular, os quais mais recentemente têm sido relacionados a alterações de populações linfocitárias T e B em contextos patológicos variados. Este estudo teve por objetivo caracterizar em pacientes com ICV o estado nutricional, a massa óssea, a aptidão cardiorrespiratória e a força muscular e relacioná-los à contagem de subpopulações linfocitárias e parâmetros inflamatórios em sangue periférico. A composição corporal e a massa óssea foram avaliadas por densitometria por dupla emissão de raios-X (DXA), o índice de massa corporal (IMC) a partir do peso e estatura, a aptidão cardiorrespiratória por teste cardiorrespiratório máximo, a força muscular por dinamômetro de mão. As populações linfocitárias de células CD4+, CD8+ e CD19+ no sangue periférico foram avaliadas por citometria de fluxo. Os parâmetros inflamatórios séricos avaliados foram velocidade de hemossedimentação, proteína C reativa (PCR), ferritina, transferrina e beta-2 microglobulina. Realizaram-se testes de comparação entre médias e modelos de regressão linear, assumindo p<0,05. Foram avaliados 34 pacientes com média de idade de 37,3 ± 10,8 anos. Aproximadamente metade dos indivíduos (47,1%) estava eutrófica, 41,2% apresentavam sobrepeso ou obesidade e apenas uma minoria (11,8%) estava desnutrida, sendo a média do IMC do grupo inteiro 24,24 ± 4,64 kg/m2. Apesar da baixa prevalência de desnutrição, 27,7% dos pacientes demonstraram diminuição de massa muscular e 57,6% de massa óssea. Quanto à aptidão cardiorrespiratória e à força muscular, 88,9% e 17,9% dos pacientes foram classificados com baixa aptidão e fraqueza, respectivamente, sendo a média do consumo de oxigênio no pico do exercício (VO2pico) 25,38 ± 6,39 ml/kg/min. No que diz respeito às populações linfocitárias, as médias das contagens de linfócitos foram: CD4+ 615 ± 242 cel/mm3; CD8+ 680 ± 528 cel/mm3 e CD19+ 149 ± 131 cel/mm3. Não foram observadas associações entre a diminuição da capacidade cardiorrespiratória e os valores das diversas subpopulações linfocitárias analisadas. A análise dos modelos de regressão, incluindo variáveis de controle, demonstrou que os níveis mais baixos de linfócitos B CD19+ estavam relacionados à diminuição dos parâmetros de massa muscular; por outro lado, observou-se associação positiva entre a contagem de linfócitos T CD4+ e a massa magra, massa muscular apendicular (MMA), massa muscular apendicular relativa (MAR), densidade mineral óssea (DMO) lombar e seu T-score, DMO de fêmur total e seus T- e Z-scores, não havendo associação com os marcadores inflamatórios. A partir de valores de linfócitos TCD4+, foi gerado um ponto de corte (650 células/mm3), para maior risco de osteopenia e osteoporose (p=0,029). Quando os pacientes foram distribuídos abaixo ou acima desse valor, foi observada diferença estatística quanto ao peso (p=0,004), massa magra (p=0,027), MMA (p=0,022) MAR (p=0,029), circunferência do braço (p=0,013) e panturrilha (p=0,005), conteúdo mineral ósseo total (p=0,005), DMO lombar (p=0,005) e respectivos T- (p=0,005) e Z-scores (p=0,016), DMO de fêmur (p < 0,001) e seus T- (p=0,001) e Z-scores (p=0,001), DMO de colo de fêmur (p=0,035) e T-score (p=0,041), não sendo significativo apenas para o Z-score do colo femoral (p=0,053). Em conclusão, foram observados em pacientes com ICV o predomínio de eutrofia e sobrepeso; baixa aptidão cardiorrespiratória; diminuição da massa muscular e massa óssea, que apresentou associação aos baixos valores de linfócitos T CD4+; e a relação entre a diminuição da massa e força muscular e a redução dos linfócitos B CD19+. Esses resultados são inéditos e sugestivos de que os valores de linfócitos T CD4+ abaixo de 650 células/mm3 possam ser preditivos para a presença de alterações do metabolismo ósseo e da massa muscular em pacientes com imunodeficiência comum variável / Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most frequent symptomatic primary immunodeficiency in adults, characterized a marked decrease of serum IgG and of at least one of the isotypes IgA or IgM. Around half of the patients also have impairment of cell-mediated immunity, in which T lymphocytes quantity and function changes can be observed. CVID patients frequently have chronic or recurrent respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, autoimmune, autoinflammatory and granulomatous diseases, benign lymphoproliferative disorders and malignancy, such as carcinoma and especially lymphoma. Thus, they are at a chronic inflammatory state, with a higher risk for malnourishment, osteoporosis and muscle mass loss, besides low cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, which was recently related to T and B lymphocytes changes in different disease contexts. This study aimed to characterize nutritional status, bone mass, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength and link them to lymphocyte populations and inflammatory markers of patients with CVID. Body composition and bone mass were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), body mass index (BMI) by weight and height, cardiorespiratory fitness by maximal cardiorespiratory fitness test, muscle strength by hand dynamometer. Peripheral blood CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ lymphocytes were assessed by flow cytometry. Serum inflammatory markers erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, ferritin, transferrin and beta-2 microglobulin were measured. Difference between means and linear regression tests were made, assuming p<0,05. Thirty-four patients with mean age of 37.3 ± 10.8 years were assessed in this study. Mean BMI was 24.24 ± 4.64 kg/m2, in which around half (47.1%) were eutrophic, 41.2% were overweight or obese and the minority (11.8%) was malnourished. Despite low prevalence of malnourishment, 27.7% of the patients had low lean mass and 57.6% had low bone mass. Regarding cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, 88.9% and 17.9% were classified as low and weak, respectively, presenting a VO2peak of 25.38 ± 6.39 ml/kg/min. Concerning lymphocyte populations, CD4+ lymphocyte count was 615 ±242 cells/mm3, T CD8+ was 680 ±528 cells/mm3 and B CD19+ was 149 ±131 cells/mm3. There was no association between cardiorespiratory fitness and lymphocytes subsets counts. Regressions models which included controlling variables showed that lower B CD19+ cells are related to the decrease of muscle mass parameters; on the other hand, we observed a positive association between T CD4+ lymphocyte count and lean mass, appendicular lean mass (ALM), relative ALM, total bone mineral content, lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and its T-score, femur BMD and its T- and Z-score, having no association with inflammatory markers. Using T CD4+ values, a cutoff (650 cells/mm3) was generated for increased risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis (p=0,029). When all patients were divided in two groups, above and below this cutoff, it was seen statistical difference for weight (p=0,004), lean mass (p=0,027), ALM (p=0,022), relative ALM (p=0,029), arm (p=0,013) and calf (p=0,005) circumferences, total bone mineral content (p=0,005), lumbar BMD (p=0,005) and its T- (p=0,005) and Z-scores (p=0,005), femur BMD (p < 0,001) and its T- (p=0,001) and Z-scores (p=0,001), femoral neck BMD (p=0,035) and its T-score (p=0,041), but not for femoral neck Z-score (p=0,053). After all, there were observed the following alterations in patient with CVID: predominance of eutrophy and overweight; low cardiorespiratory fitness; decrease of muscle mass and bone mass, which were associated to lower values of T CD4+ lymphocytes; relationship between the decrease of muscle mass and strength and the decrease of B CD19+ count. Similar data has never been published literature and is highly suggestive that T CD4+ lymphocytes count below 650 cells/mm3 in CVID patients can predictive of changes to the bone metabolism and muscle mass

A imunodeficiência comum variável (ICV) é a imunodeficiência primária sintomática mais frequente em adultos, caracterizada pela redução dos níveis séricos de IgG e de ao menos um dos isotipos IgA ou IgM. Em aproximadamente 50% dos casos a imunidade celular também está comprometida, podendo ser detectadas alterações quantitativas e funcionais das populações de linfócitos T. Os pacientes geralmente cursam com infecções crônicas ou recorrentes do trato respiratório e gastrointestinal, sendo comuns também as associações com doenças autoimunes e inflamatórias, doença granulomatosa, linfoproliferações benignas e malignidades como carcinomas e, em especial, linfomas. Como decorrência, os pacientes com ICV mantêm um quadro de inflamação crônica, maior risco de desnutrição, osteoporose e perda de massa muscular, além de menor aptidão cardiorrespiratória e comprometimento da função muscular, os quais mais recentemente têm sido relacionados a alterações de populações linfocitárias T e B em contextos patológicos variados. Este estudo teve por objetivo caracterizar em pacientes com ICV o estado nutricional, a massa óssea, a aptidão cardiorrespiratória e a força muscular e relacioná-los à contagem de subpopulações linfocitárias e parâmetros inflamatórios em sangue periférico. A composição corporal e a massa óssea foram avaliadas por densitometria por dupla emissão de raios-X (DXA), o índice de massa corporal (IMC) a partir do peso e estatura, a aptidão cardiorrespiratória por teste cardiorrespiratório máximo, a força muscular por dinamômetro de mão. As populações linfocitárias de células CD4+, CD8+ e CD19+ no sangue periférico foram avaliadas por citometria de fluxo. Os parâmetros inflamatórios séricos avaliados foram velocidade de hemossedimentação, proteína C reativa (PCR), ferritina, transferrina e beta-2 microglobulina. Realizaram-se testes de comparação entre médias e modelos de regressão linear, assumindo p<0,05. Foram avaliados 34 pacientes com média de idade de 37,3 ± 10,8 anos. Aproximadamente metade dos indivíduos (47,1%) estava eutrófica, 41,2% apresentavam sobrepeso ou obesidade e apenas uma minoria (11,8%) estava desnutrida, sendo a média do IMC do grupo inteiro 24,24 ± 4,64 kg/m2. Apesar da baixa prevalência de desnutrição, 27,7% dos pacientes demonstraram diminuição de massa muscular e 57,6% de massa óssea. Quanto à aptidão cardiorrespiratória e à força muscular, 88,9% e 17,9% dos pacientes foram classificados com baixa aptidão e fraqueza, respectivamente, sendo a média do consumo de oxigênio no pico do exercício (VO2pico) 25,38 ± 6,39 ml/kg/min. No que diz respeito às populações linfocitárias, as médias das contagens de linfócitos foram: CD4+ 615 ± 242 cel/mm3; CD8+ 680 ± 528 cel/mm3 e CD19+ 149 ± 131 cel/mm3. Não foram observadas associações entre a diminuição da capacidade cardiorrespiratória e os valores das diversas subpopulações linfocitárias analisadas. A análise dos modelos de regressão, incluindo variáveis de controle, demonstrou que os níveis mais baixos de linfócitos B CD19+ estavam relacionados à diminuição dos parâmetros de massa muscular; por outro lado, observou-se associação positiva entre a contagem de linfócitos T CD4+ e a massa magra, massa muscular apendicular (MMA), massa muscular apendicular relativa (MAR), densidade mineral óssea (DMO) lombar e seu T-score, DMO de fêmur total e seus T- e Z-scores, não havendo associação com os marcadores inflamatórios. A partir de valores de linfócitos TCD4+, foi gerado um ponto de corte (650 células/mm3), para maior risco de osteopenia e osteoporose (p=0,029). Quando os pacientes foram distribuídos abaixo ou acima desse valor, foi observada diferença estatística quanto ao peso (p=0,004), massa magra (p=0,027), MMA (p=0,022) MAR (p=0,029), circunferência do braço (p=0,013) e panturrilha (p=0,005), conteúdo mineral ósseo total (p=0,005), DMO lombar (p=0,005) e respectivos T- (p=0,005) e Z-scores (p=0,016), DMO de fêmur (p < 0,001) e seus T- (p=0,001) e Z-scores (p=0,001), DMO de colo de fêmur (p=0,035) e T-score (p=0,041), não sendo significativo apenas para o Z-score do colo femoral (p=0,053). Em conclusão, foram observados em pacientes com ICV o predomínio de eutrofia e sobrepeso; baixa aptidão cardiorrespiratória; diminuição da massa muscular e massa óssea, que apresentou associação aos baixos valores de linfócitos T CD4+; e a relação entre a diminuição da massa e força muscular e a redução dos linfócitos B CD19+. Esses resultados são inéditos e sugestivos de que os valores de linfócitos T CD4+ abaixo de 650 células/mm3 possam ser preditivos para a presença de alterações do metabolismo ósseo e da massa muscular em pacientes com imunodeficiência comum variável / Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most frequent symptomatic primary immunodeficiency in adults, characterized a marked decrease of serum IgG and of at least one of the isotypes IgA or IgM. Around half of the patients also have impairment of cell-mediated immunity, in which T lymphocytes quantity and function changes can be observed. CVID patients frequently have chronic or recurrent respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, autoimmune, autoinflammatory and granulomatous diseases, benign lymphoproliferative disorders and malignancy, such as carcinoma and especially lymphoma. Thus, they are at a chronic inflammatory state, with a higher risk for malnourishment, osteoporosis and muscle mass loss, besides low cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, which was recently related to T and B lymphocytes changes in different disease contexts. This study aimed to characterize nutritional status, bone mass, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength and link them to lymphocyte populations and inflammatory markers of patients with CVID. Body composition and bone mass were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), body mass index (BMI) by weight and height, cardiorespiratory fitness by maximal cardiorespiratory fitness test, muscle strength by hand dynamometer. Peripheral blood CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ lymphocytes were assessed by flow cytometry. Serum inflammatory markers erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, ferritin, transferrin and beta-2 microglobulin were measured. Difference between means and linear regression tests were made, assuming p<0,05. Thirty-four patients with mean age of 37.3 ± 10.8 years were assessed in this study. Mean BMI was 24.24 ± 4.64 kg/m2, in which around half (47.1%) were eutrophic, 41.2% were overweight or obese and the minority (11.8%) was malnourished. Despite low prevalence of malnourishment, 27.7% of the patients had low lean mass and 57.6% had low bone mass. Regarding cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, 88.9% and 17.9% were classified as low and weak, respectively, presenting a VO2peak of 25.38 ± 6.39 ml/kg/min. Concerning lymphocyte populations, CD4+ lymphocyte count was 615 ±242 cells/mm3, T CD8+ was 680 ±528 cells/mm3 and B CD19+ was 149 ±131 cells/mm3. There was no association between cardiorespiratory fitness and lymphocytes subsets counts. Regressions models which included controlling variables showed that lower B CD19+ cells are related to the decrease of muscle mass parameters; on the other hand, we observed a positive association between T CD4+ lymphocyte count and lean mass, appendicular lean mass (ALM), relative ALM, total bone mineral content, lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) and its T-score, femur BMD and its T- and Z-score, having no association with inflammatory markers. Using T CD4+ values, a cutoff (650 cells/mm3) was generated for increased risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis (p=0,029). When all patients were divided in two groups, above and below this cutoff, it was seen statistical difference for weight (p=0,004), lean mass (p=0,027), ALM (p=0,022), relative ALM (p=0,029), arm (p=0,013) and calf (p=0,005) circumferences, total bone mineral content (p=0,005), lumbar BMD (p=0,005) and its T- (p=0,005) and Z-scores (p=0,005), femur BMD (p < 0,001) and its T- (p=0,001) and Z-scores (p=0,001), femoral neck BMD (p=0,035) and its T-score (p=0,041), but not for femoral neck Z-score (p=0,053). After all, there were observed the following alterations in patient with CVID: predominance of eutrophy and overweight; low cardiorespiratory fitness; decrease of muscle mass and bone mass, which were associated to lower values of T CD4+ lymphocytes; relationship between the decrease of muscle mass and strength and the decrease of B CD19+ count. Similar data has never been published literature and is highly suggestive that T CD4+ lymphocytes count below 650 cells/mm3 in CVID patients can predictive of changes to the bone metabolism and muscle mass