Alterations in T-cells along with the specific signature of NK cell phenotype in ME/CFS

Journal of Translational Medicine 2013, 11:68 doi:10.1186/1479-5876-11-68 Published: 20 March 2013:

Research

Screening NK-, B- and T-cell phenotype and function in patients suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Marta Curriu, Jorge Carrillo, Marta Massanella, Josepa Rigau, José Alegre, Jordi Puig, Ana M Garcia-Quintana,Jesus Castro-Marrero, Eugènia Negredo, Bonaventura Clotet, Cecilia Cabrera and Julià Blanco

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Journal of Translational Medicine 2013, 11:68 doi:10.1186/1479-5876-11-68

Published: 20 March 2013

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating neuro-immune disorder of unknown etiology diagnosed by an array of clinical manifestations. Although several immunological abnormalities have been described in CFS, their heterogeneity has limited diagnostic applicability.

Methods

Immunological features of CFS were screened in 22 CFS diagnosed individuals fulfilling Fukuda criteria and 30 control healthy individuals. Peripheral blood T, B and NK cell function and phenotype were analyzed by flow cytometry in both groups.

Results

CFS diagnosed individuals showed similar absolute numbers of T, B and NK cells, with minor differences in the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. B cells showed similar subset frequencies and proliferative responses between groups. Conversely, significant differences were observed in T cell subsets. CFS individuals showed increased levels of T regulatory cells (CD25+/FOXP3+) CD4 T cells, and lower proliferative responses in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, CD8 T cells from the CFS group showed significantly lower activation and frequency of effector memory cells. No clear signs of T-cell immunosenescence were observed. NK cells from CFS individuals displayed higher expression of NKp46 and CD69 but lower expression of CD25 in all NK subsets defined. Overall, T cell and NK cell features clearly clustered CFS individuals.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that alterations in T-cell phenotype and proliferative response along with the specific signature of NK cell phenotype may be useful to identify CFS individuals. The striking down modulation of T cell mediated immunity may help to understand intercurrent viral infections in CFS.

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