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Which comes first Tregs or TB?
Abstract   Open access   Peer reviewed

Which comes first Tregs or TB?

Angela M. Green, Kale Bongers and JoAnne L. Flynn
The FASEB journal, Vol.22(S1), pp.858.5-858.5
03/2008
DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.858.5
url
https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.858.5View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Abstract only Worldwide, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is responsible for ~ 2 million deaths per year. While a majority of individuals control the infection, 5–10% develop active disease. Recent studies in human TB patients indicate patients with active disease have increased frequency of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in peripheral blood when compared to latent controls. However, whether a higher frequency of Tregs is responsible for the development of active disease or whether the frequency of these cells increases is in response to active disease is not known. To determine which may be the case, we used a non-human primate model of disease, the only animal model to mimic human latent infection. Cynomolgus macaques (30) were infected with low dose M.tb and followed until disease state (active or latent) was declared (6–8 months). Regardless of infection outcome, all animals exhibited a significant drop in the frequency of Tregs (CD4+foxP3+) during the first 8 weeks of infection (p<0.05). Concurrent with the decrease seen in the peripheral blood the frequency of CD4 T cells and Tregs increased in the airways of these animals. Interestingly, monkeys with active disease exhibited a trend toward higher Tregs by 20 weeks post infection. Taken together, these data indicate that Tregs may increase in the periphery in response to inflammation from active disease. NIH grant: RO1 AI50732‐01

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