Increased CD4+/CD8+ double-positive T cells in chronic Chagasic patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

CD4+/CD8+ double positive (DP) T cells have been described in healthy individuals as well as in patients with autoimmune and chronic infectious diseases. In chronic viral infections, this cell subset has effector memory phenotype and displays antigen specificity. No previous studies of double positive T cells in parasite infections have been carried out.

Methodology/principal findings

Seventeen chronic chagasic patients (7 asymptomatic and 10 symptomatic) and 24 non-infected donors, including 12 healthy and 12 with non-chagasic cardiomyopathy donors were analyzed. Peripheral blood was stained for CD3, CD4, CD8, HLA-DR and CD38, and lymphocytes for intracellular perforin. Antigen specificity was assessed using HLA*A2 tetramers loaded with T. cruzi K1 or influenza v

SUBMITTER: Giraldo NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3160296 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature