Influenza Vaccine Associated with the Gene Expression of T Cell Surface Markers in Human Milk

Abstract Objectives The function of neonatal T cells is reduced compared to adult T cells. Human milk T cells may be transferred to the breastfed infant and compensate for their immature T cells. This study investigated the impact of mastitis and influenza post-infections (1–4 months) on T cell surface markers’ gene expressions in human milk. Methods Gene expressions of CD4, CD44, CD8A, CCR6, CCR7, CD62L, CXCR3, CXCR5, and CD25 were determined in milk samples from 7 women with mastitis, 7 women with influenza, and 9 women without infection during the last year. The concentrations of Th cytokines (IL-4, IL-17, IFN-g, IL-2, and TNF-b) were also determined. Results The gene expression in milk from women with influenza infection had lower CCR7 (naïve T cells) and higher CD8A (cytotoxic T cells), CD44 and CD62L (activated/memory T cells) than mothers without infection. Gene expression in milk from mothers with mastitis had higher CD4 (Th cells) and lower CCR6 (Th17 cells) than mothers without mastitis. Milk from mothers with previous infections in the past 1–4 months had higher gene expression of CD4, CD8A, CD44, and CD62L, and lower CCR7 and CCR6 (Th17 cells) than mothers without infection. Mastitis or influenza did not affect the concentrations of cytokine-related T cells in human milk, indicating the return to their regular composition of immune regulatory mediators. Conclusions These findings suggest that mothers with previous influenza infections may transfer high human milk-activated/memory T cells to their infants. Whether this transfer of antigen-experienced T cells enhances infants' protection against infection remains to be investigated. Funding Sources The authors (VDM, CD, and ED) disclosed receipt of the financial support from Medolac Laboratories for the conduct of the study.

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Cartography of gene expression in CD8 single cells: novel CCR7− subsets suggest differentiation independent of CD45RA expression

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2006-06-027060 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 109 (7) ◽

pp. 2863-2870 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Marta Monteiro ◽

César Evaristo ◽

Agnès Legrand ◽

Antonino Nicoletti ◽

Benedita Rocha

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

T Cell ◽

Cell Surface ◽

Single Cells ◽

Cell Types ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Surface Markers ◽

Cell Surface Markers ◽

Effector Cells ◽

T Cell Subpopulations

Abstract Understanding the distribution, function, and lineage relationship of CD8+ T-cell subpopulations is of fundamental value for the monitoring of the immune system in several experimental and clinical situations. However, the available data concerning the description of effector and memory CD8+ subsets in humans remain rather fragmentary because different studies favored the usage of distinct and restricted sets of cell surface markers and functional parameters. We associated multiple markers to subdivide CD8+ T cells into 14 different cell types, several of which were not described previously, and evaluated the coexpression of 18 genes simultaneously in individual cells from each subset. Our results show that each subset has a defined pattern of gene expression. Moreover, effector gene expression of CCR7− cells correlated only with CD27 expression levels and CD27/CD28 coexpression but not with CD45RA/R0 phenotypes. Our findings thus describe new CD8+ cell subsets, allow the identification of relatively homogeneous CD8+ subpopulations, provide a predictable and precise correlation between particular cell surface markers and CD8+ T-cell functional properties, and identify effector cells present in both CCR7−CD45RA+ and CCR7−CD45R0+ compartments. The results also indicate that activated cells might modulate the expression of CD45RA/R0 asynchronously rather than CCR7−CD45RA+ cells always issuing from CD45RA− precursors.

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