Analysis of Peripheral Inflammatory T Cell Subsets and Their Effector Function in Patients With Birdshot Retinochoroiditis
Purpose: Birdshot Retinochoroiditis (BSRC) is a progressive non-infectious intraocular inflammation that affects choroid and retina. Inflammatory processes have adverse effects on vision by affecting photoreceptor-bearing cells that do not regenerate.
Methods: This study aimed at characterizing inflammatory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of BSRCs. Furthermore, we correlated phenotypical and functional immunological analyses with clinical data.
Results: We observed a slight increase of terminally differentiated effector memory CD8+ T cells expressing CD45RA (TEMRA) in blood of inactive, compared to active BSRCs. Moreover, we identified a trend for a decreased population of TH2 cells and increased TH1 frequencies in active BSRCs, a typical sign of ongoing autoimmune processes. Functional assays demonstrated severe and overall impairment of effector function of both, CD4+ and CD8+ inflammatory T cells, which might reflect T cell exhaustion.
Conclusion: Although the eye is the main site of inflammation in BSRC, we observed altered T cell subset compositions in the peripheral blood, dependent on the disease status. Our results indicate that T cells may play a major role in BSRC pathology, although our cohort size is too limited for definitve conclusions. Future studies with larger and well-defined cohorts of BSRCs have to be performed.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Posted 28 Dec, 2020
On 23 Dec, 2020
On 22 Dec, 2020
On 12 Dec, 2020
Analysis of Peripheral Inflammatory T Cell Subsets and Their Effector Function in Patients With Birdshot Retinochoroiditis
Posted 28 Dec, 2020
On 23 Dec, 2020
On 22 Dec, 2020
On 12 Dec, 2020
Purpose: Birdshot Retinochoroiditis (BSRC) is a progressive non-infectious intraocular inflammation that affects choroid and retina. Inflammatory processes have adverse effects on vision by affecting photoreceptor-bearing cells that do not regenerate.
Methods: This study aimed at characterizing inflammatory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of BSRCs. Furthermore, we correlated phenotypical and functional immunological analyses with clinical data.
Results: We observed a slight increase of terminally differentiated effector memory CD8+ T cells expressing CD45RA (TEMRA) in blood of inactive, compared to active BSRCs. Moreover, we identified a trend for a decreased population of TH2 cells and increased TH1 frequencies in active BSRCs, a typical sign of ongoing autoimmune processes. Functional assays demonstrated severe and overall impairment of effector function of both, CD4+ and CD8+ inflammatory T cells, which might reflect T cell exhaustion.
Conclusion: Although the eye is the main site of inflammation in BSRC, we observed altered T cell subset compositions in the peripheral blood, dependent on the disease status. Our results indicate that T cells may play a major role in BSRC pathology, although our cohort size is too limited for definitve conclusions. Future studies with larger and well-defined cohorts of BSRCs have to be performed.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3