Dominant TNFα and impaired IL-2 cytokine profiles of CD4+ T cells from children with type-1 diabetes

Immunol Cell Biol. 2017 Aug;95(7):630-639. doi: 10.1038/icb.2017.24. Epub 2017 Apr 5.

Abstract

Aberrantly activated CD4+ T memory cells play a central role in the development of type-1-diabetes. Interleukin-7 promotes generation of autoimmune memory T cells and increased Interleukin-7 availability is associated with type-1-diabetes susceptibility. T-cell-mediated immune pathology at onset of type-1-diabetes is well defined, but characteristics of long-term symptomatic disease stages remain largely elusive. In the present study, memory CD4+ T-cell activation and cytokine expression as well as sensitivity to Interleukin-7 in vitro were compared between patients with type-1-diabetes at clinical onset (n=25), long-term symptomatic disease (median duration 4.5 years, n=19) and matched healthy controls (n=21). T-cell responses of type-1-diabetes patients were characterized by higher frequencies of cytokine and activation marker expressing CD4+ memory T cells as compared to healthy controls. Notably, correction for individual cytokine expression levels revealed qualitative differences of cytokine profiles characterized by significantly increased TNFα and decreased IL-2-expressing T-cell proportions in long-term type-1-diabetes patients. IL-7-mediated T-cell co-stimulation induced quantitative and qualitative cytokine expression differences highly similar to type-1-diabetes-specific profiles. In addition, CD4+ memory T cells from children with long-term type-1-diabetes were more sensitive to in vitro IL-7 co-stimulation. Global transcriptome analysis revealed IL-7 induced expression differences of CD4+ T cells, including increased IL-2R expression and effects on subsequent T-cell receptor activation. We conclude that long-term symptomatic type-1-diabetes patients differed in memory T-cell cytokine profiles and Interleukin-7 co-stimulation. Regulation of IL-2 expression and sensitivity are affected with possible consequences for disease course and severity at long-term type-1-diabetes stages.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / immunology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory / drug effects
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism*
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Interleukin-7 / pharmacology
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Male
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Receptors, CCR7 / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism*

Substances

  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Interleukin-7
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interferon-gamma