[Analyses of subset, activated state and expression pattern of 24 repertoire TCR Vbeta of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in convalescence patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)].

AIM: To study the function of lymphocytes and the expression pattern of 24 repertoire TCR Vbeta in the convalescent patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) after treatment by combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

METHODS

T lymphocyte subsets, activated states of T and B lymphocytes, and expressions of CD3(+) and 24 TCR Vbeta subfamilies in 76 convalescent SARS patients were detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

The percentages of CD3(+) and CD4(+) T cells were lower than normal reference (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). The percentage of CD8(+) T lymphocytes was higher than normal reference (P<0.01),while the percentage of CD8(+)/CD28(-) T cells (Ts) in 49 convalescent SARS patients increased, and that of CD8(+)/CD28(+) T cells (Tc) in 39 patients decreased. The percentage of activated T cells (Ta,CD3(+)/HLA-DR(+)) in 36 convalescent SARS patients and the percentage of activated B cells (Ba, CD3(-)/HLA-DR(+)) in 30 convalescent SARS patients were higher than normal references. Expression of TCR Vbeta14 was the commonest in 24 TCR Vbeta repertoire both in SARS patients and normal controls, followed by TCR Vbeta5.3 in SARS patients, but Vbeta20 in normal controls. Besides, the expressions of TCR Vbeta1, Vbeta5.2, Vbeta5.3, Vbeta7.2, Vbeta9, Vbeta11, Vbeta13.1, Vbeta13.2, Vbeta17, Vbeta18, Vbeta22 and Vbeta23 in SARS group were all significantly higher than those in normal group. And the expressions of TCR Vbeta4, Vbeta22 and Vbeta23 in SARS patients treated with glucocorticoid(>1 000 U) were higher than those in SARS patients without treatment.

CONCLUSION

Increased Ts cell may lead to increased CD8(+) T cells in convalescent SARS patients. The suppressor factors secreted by Ts cells may decrease CD3(+) and CD4(+) T cells. Expression of TCR Vbeta on T cells from convalescent SARS patients were different from normal controls. The increased Ta and Ba expressions may be associated with activation of T and B cells.