The Association between Regulatory T Cell Subpopulations and Severe Pneumonia Post Renal Transplantation

• Published in: Journal of Immunology Research Vol. 2022; pp. 8720438 - 15
• Main Authors: Zhuang, Quan, Cai, Haozheng, Yang, Min, Peng, Bo, Luo, Yulin, Zhang, Ying, Ming, Yingzi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Egypt Hindawi 09.04.2022; Hindawi Limited; Wiley
• Subjects: Adenosine; Analysis; Antigens; Antithymocyte globulin; Bacterial pneumonia; Basiliximab; Bone marrow; CD25 antigen; CD4 antigen; CD45RA antigen; Correlation analysis; Cytokines; Development and progression; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; Flow Cytometry; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Foxp3 protein; Graft versus host disease; Health aspects; Hepatitis; Histocompatibility antigen HLA; Histocompatibility antigens; HIV; HLA Antigens; HLA histocompatibility antigens; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immunology; Immunoregulation; Immunosuppressive Agents; Infections; Kidney transplantation; Kidney Transplantation - adverse effects; Kidneys; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Medical prognosis; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Monocytes; Morbidity; Mortality; Neutrophils; Patients; Peripheral blood; Pneumonia; Pneumonia - etiology; Risk factors; T cell receptors; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Taiwan; Transcription factors; Transplantation; Transplants & implants; Type 2 diabetes; Taiwan
• ISSN: 2314-8861; 2314-7156
• DOI: 10.1155/2022/8720438

Severe pneumonia accounts for the majority of morbidity and mortality in renal allograft recipients due to immunosuppressant maintenance. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), which are involved in tackling infections under immunosuppressive conditions, are rarely uncovered. We aimed to investigate the relationship between various Treg subpopulations and severe pneumonia after kidney transplantation (KTx). KTx recipients with pneumonia were divided into severe pneumonia and mild pneumonia groups. The frequencies and absolute numbers (Ab No.) of total Tregs (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+), six subsets of Tregs (Helios+/-, CD39+/-, and CD45RA+/-), and T cells, B cells, and NK cells were assessed from peripheral blood via flow cytometry using the t or Mann-Whitney test and receiver operating curve analysis. We also determined the median fluorescence intensity (MFI) of human leukocyte antigen- (HLA-) DR on monocytes and CD64 on neutrophils. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors of disease progression, and Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to identify relationships between the measured immune indices and patients’ clinical information. Our research indicated that Treg subpopulations were strongly associated with severe pneumonia progression post KTx. Based on the monitoring of Treg subpopulations, better-individualized prevention and therapy might be achieved for patients with severe pneumonia post KTx.