RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of CD8(+)CXCR3(+)T cells on autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). METHODS: Twenty-two AIHA patients, including 11 untreated and 11 recovered ones, and 23 normal controls were recruited from July 2010 to November 2010. The percentage of CD8(+)CXCR3(+)/CD8(+)T cells in peripheral blood and the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in CD8(+)CXCR3(+)T cells were detected by flow cytometry. Their correlations with the count of CD3(+)CD4(+)cells and the percentage of CD5(+)CD19(+) in CD19(+) B cells were analyzed. The expression level of CXCR3 mRNA in PBMC was determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The percentage of CD8(+)CXCR3(+)/CD8(+) of untreated AIHA patients was (39.80 ± 19.96)%. And it was lower than that of recovered patients [(58.76 ± 14.22)%, P < 0.05] and normal controls [(59.66 ± 12.62)%, P < 0.01]. The percentage of IL-10(+) T cells in CD8(+)CXCR3(+)T cells of untreated patients was (22.98 ± 14.96)% and it was lower than that of normal controls [(38.15 ± 17.03)%, P < 0.05]. The expression level of CXCR3 mRNA for untreated AIHA patients was (0.51 ± 0.19) and it was lower than that of normal controls (1.67 ± 1.17, P < 0.01). The percentage of CD8(+)CXCR3(+)/CD8(+)T cells had a negative correlation with the count of CD3(+)CD4(+) cells and the percentage of CD5(+)CD19(+)/CD19(+) B cells (r = -0.571, -0.583, both P < 0.05). So did the percentage of IL-10(+) T cells in CD8(+)CXCR3(+)T cells (r = -0.524, -0.523, both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The decreased count of CD8(+)CXCR3(+)T cells and the lowered level of IL-10 may disturb the immune tolerance and lead to the occurrence of AIHA.