Human CD4+ CD25+ CD127hi cells and the Th1/Th2 phenotype

• Published in: Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.) Vol. 188; pp. 103 - 112
• Main Authors: Narsale, Aditi, Moya, Rosita, Davies, Joanna Davida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.03.2018
• Subjects: CD25+ CD127hi cells; Chemokine receptors; Cytokines; T cell subsets; Th1 and Th2; Th1 and Th2; Cytokines; T1D; Treg; IRB; EM; CM; CD25+CD127hi cells; T cell subsets; PBMC; Chemokine receptors; mAb
• ISSN: 1521-6616; 1521-7035
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2018.01.003

CD4+ T cells that co-express CD25 and CD127 (CD25+CD127+) make up around 20% of all circulating CD4+ memory T cells in healthy people. The clinical significance of these cells is that in children with type 1 diabetes their relative frequency at diagnosis is significantly and directly correlated with rate of disease progression. The purpose of this study was to further characterize the CD25+CD127hi cells. We show that they are a mix of Th1 and Th2 cells however, they have a significantly higher relative frequency of pre-committed and committed Th2 cells, and secrete significantly higher levels of Th2-type cytokines than CD25− memory T cells. Further, these cells are neither exhausted nor senescent and proliferate to the same extent as CD25− memory cells. Thus, CD25+CD127hi cells are a highly active subset of memory T cells that might play a role in controlling inflammation via anti-inflammatory Th2-type deviation. •CD25+ CD127hi T cells expresses Th1, Th2 and Th17 cytokines.•The CD25+ CD127hi T cell pool contains more Th2-type cells than CD25− memory cells.•CD25+ CD127hi cells secrete higher levels of Th2 cytokines than CD25− memory cells.•The proliferation capacity of CD25+ CD127hi cells is equivalent to CD25− memory cells.•CD25+ CD127hi cells are neither exhausted nor senescent.