T-cell receptor Vβ repertoire of CD8(+) T-lymphocyte subpopulations in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In human cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), the immune response is mainly mediated by T-cells. The role of CD8(+) T-lymphocytes, which are related to healing or deleterious functions, in affecting clinical outcome is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate T-cell receptor diversity in late-differentiated effector (LDE) and memory CD8(+) T-cell subsets in order to create a profile of specific clones engaged in deleterious or protective CL immune responses. Healthy subjects, patients with active disease (PAD) and clinically cured patients were enrolled in the study. Total CD8(+) T-lymphocytes showed a disturbance in the expression of the Vβ2, Vβ9, Vβ13.2, Vβ18 and Vβ23 families. The analyses of CD8(+)T-lymphocyte subsets showed high frequencies of LDE CD8(+)T-lymphocytes expressing Vβ12 and Vβ22 in PAD, as well as effector-memory CD8(+) T-cells expressing Vβ22. We also observed low frequencies of effector and central-memory CD8(+) T-cells expressing Vβ2 in PAD, which correlated with a greater lesion size. Particular Vβ expansions point to CD8(+) T-cell clones that are selected during CL immune responses, suggesting that CD8(+) T-lymphocytes expressing Vβ12 or Vβ22 are involved in a LDE response and that Vβ2 contractions in memory CD8(+)T-cells are associated with larger lesions.