To measure the frequencies of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells from patients with AS and RA, and to assess their clinical relevance and properties.
Peripheral blood (PB) and clinical data were obtained from 37 AS, 36 RA patients and 37 healthy controls. We also generated IL-4-producing CD8+ T cell lines and clones by co-culture with autologous dendritic cells. Using flow cytometry, we evaluated intracellular cytokine expression by T cells following stimulation with PMA and calcium ionophore. The phenotype and ability of the IL-4-producing CD8+ T cell clones to suppress IFN-gamma production were examined.
The percentages of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells were higher in PB of patients with AS and RA than controls (medians 0.90 and 0.84% vs 0.30%). In RA, patients with active inflammation had an increased percentage of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells. Higher frequencies of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells were also found in CD8+ T cell lines established from patients with arthritis. Interestingly, most IL-4+ CD8+ T cells produced TNF-alpha. Cloning the CD8+ T cell lines yielded more IL-4-producing clones from AS (23%) and RA patients (14%) than from controls (7%). The ability to suppress IFN-gamma production was observed in 56% (AS) and 85% (RA) of IL-4-producing clones. Suppressive IL-4+ CD8+ T cell clones from RA patients showed a similar regulatory phenotype to the clones previously isolated from AS patients.
Expansion of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells, which may include precursors of a regulatory CD8+ T cell subset, may represent a general response to chronic joint inflammation.