Human Peripheral Blood Gamma Delta T Cells: Report on a Series of Healthy Caucasian Portuguese Adults and Comprehensive Review of the Literature
Sónia Fonseca,
Vanessa Pereira,
Catarina Lau,
Maria dos Anjos Teixeira,
Marika Bini-Antunes,
Margarida Lima
Affiliations
Sónia Fonseca
Laboratory of Cytometry, Unit for Hematology Diagnosis, Department of Hematology, Hospital de Santo António (HSA), Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (UMIB/ICBAS/UP); 4099-001 Porto Porto, Portugal
Vanessa Pereira
Department of Clinical Pathology, Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho (CHVNG/E); 4434-502 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Catarina Lau
Laboratory of Cytometry, Unit for Hematology Diagnosis, Department of Hematology, Hospital de Santo António (HSA), Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (UMIB/ICBAS/UP); 4099-001 Porto Porto, Portugal
Maria dos Anjos Teixeira
Laboratory of Cytometry, Unit for Hematology Diagnosis, Department of Hematology, Hospital de Santo António (HSA), Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (UMIB/ICBAS/UP); 4099-001 Porto Porto, Portugal
Marika Bini-Antunes
Laboratory of Immunohematology and Blood Donors Unit, Department of Hematology, Hospital de Santo António (HSA), Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (UMIB/ICBAS/UP); 4099-001Porto, Portugal
Margarida Lima
Laboratory of Cytometry, Unit for Hematology Diagnosis, Department of Hematology, Hospital de Santo António (HSA), Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUP), Unidade Multidisciplinar de Investigação Biomédica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (UMIB/ICBAS/UP); 4099-001 Porto Porto, Portugal
Gamma delta T cells (Tc) are divided according to the type of Vδ and Vγ chains they express, with two major γδ Tc subsets being recognized in humans: Vδ2Vγ9 and Vδ1. Despite many studies in pathological conditions, only a few have quantified the γδ Tc subsets in healthy adults, and a comprehensive review of the factors influencing its representation in the blood is missing. Here we quantified the total γδ Tc and the Vδ2/Vγ9 and Vδ1 Tc subsets in the blood from 30 healthy, Caucasian, Portuguese adults, we characterized their immunophenotype by 8-color flow cytometry, focusing in a few relevant Tc markers (CD3/TCR-γδ, CD5, CD8), and costimulatory (CD28), cytotoxic (CD16) and adhesion (CD56) molecules, and we examined the impacts of age and gender. Additionally, we reviewed the literature on the influences of race/ethnicity, age, gender, special periods of life, past infections, diet, medications and concomitant diseases on γδ Tc and their subsets. Given the multitude of factors influencing the γδ Tc repertoire and immunophenotype and the high variation observed, caution should be taken in interpreting “abnormal” γδ Tc values and repertoire deviations, and the clinical significance of small populations of “phenotypically abnormal” γδ Tc in the blood.
