Environmental factor and inflammation-driven alteration of the total peripheral T-cell compartment in granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Autoimmune diseases are initiated by a combination of predisposing genetic and environmental factors resulting in self-perpetuating chronic inflammation and tissue damage. Autoantibody production and an imbalance of effector and regulatory T-cells are hallmarks of autoimmune dysregulation. While expansion of circulating effector memory T-cells is linked to disease pathogenesis and progression, the causes driving alterations of the peripheral T-cell compartment have remained poorly understood so far.

Distinct proteinase 3-induced cytokine patterns in Wegener´s granulomatosis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, and healthy controls.

Objectives: To analyse whether a specific cytokine pattern is elicited in response to the autoantigen proteinase 3 (PR3) in active Wegener's granulomatosis (WG).

Methods: Six-colour flow cytometry was used to analyse cytokine production and surface markers of the total CD4+ T-cell population ex vivo and in PR3-stimulated T-cell lines of patients with active PR3-ANCA-positive WG, PR3-ANCA-negative Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), and healthy controls (HC).

Results: The cytokine response of the total PB CD4+ T cell population was skewed towards distinct pro-inflammatory cytokine patterns in WG (Th1-type) and CSS (Th17, Th1-/Th2-type).

gammadelta T-cells: basic features and potential role in vasculitis.

gammadelta T-cells are a numerically small subset of T-cells with distinct features. They recognise antigens that are not seen by other immune cells. At the functional level, gammadelta T-cells share some features with alphabeta T-cells but also exert functions that are otherwise performed by specialised subsets of alphabeta T-cells (e.