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Involvement of CD26 in differentiation and functions of Th1- and 1 Th17-subpopulations of T lymphocytes
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  • Hua F Fan,
  • Xiangli Zhao,
  • Kai Zhang,
  • Wenhan Wang,
  • Jingya Yang,
  • Hendrik Fuchs
Hua F Fan
Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin

Corresponding Author:hua.fan@charite.de

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Xiangli Zhao
Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin
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Kai Zhang
Charite Medical Faculty Berlin
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Wenhan Wang
Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences
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Jingya Yang
Shanghai Ocean University
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Hendrik Fuchs
Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin
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Abstract

CD26, acting as a co-stimulator of T cell activation, plays an important role in the immune system. However, the role of CD26 in the differentiation of T cell subsets, especially of new paradigms of T cells, such as Th17 and Tregs, is not fully clarified. In the present study, the role of CD26 in T cell differentiation was investigated in vitro. CD26 expression was analysed in the different subsets of human peripheral blood T lymphocytes after antigen stimulation. Here, the percentage of CD4+ cells significantly increased and most of these cells were co-expressed with CD26, suggesting a close correlation of CD26 expression with the proliferation of CD4+ cells. Subsequently, after antigen stimulation, CD26 high-expressing cells (CD26high) were separated from CD26 low-expressing cells (CD26low) by magnetic cell sorting. We found that the percentages of cells secreting Th1-typical cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ), Th17-typical cytokines (IL-6, IL-17, IL-22) or expressing Th17-typical biomarkers (IL-23R, CD161, CD196) in the CD26high group were markedly higher than in the CD26low group. In addition, a co-expression of CD26 with IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23R in lymphocytes was demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy. These results provide direct evidence that the high expression of CD26 is accompanied by the differentiation of T lymphocytes into Th1 and Th17, indicating that CD26 plays a crucial role in regulating the immune response.