Conversion of peripheral CD4⁺CD25⁻ T cells to CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells by IFN-γ in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome

Abstract 

CD4⁺CD25⁻ T cells from 25 Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients were stimulated by IFN-γ to generate the induced CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (iTregs). Then, their phenotypical and functional characterizations were analyzed. Results show that iTregs can be generated from CD4⁺CD25⁻ T cells in GBS patients by IFN-γ in the presence of activating anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies in vitro. When CD4⁺CD25⁻ T cells are stimulated by 40ng/ml IFN-γ for 3days, the ratio of conversion is the highest under this condition and iTregs are similar to naturally occurring CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells of healthy donors phenotypically and functionally.

Keywords: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), IFN-γ, CD4⁺CD25⁻ T cells, Induced CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (iTregs), CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (CD4⁺CD25⁺ Tregs)