Reduced frequencies of Foxp3(+)GARP(+) regulatory T cells in COPD patients are associated with multi-organ loss of tissue phenotype

BACKGROUND: Expression of glycoprotein A dominant repeat (GARP) has been reported to occur only in activated human naturally occurring regulatory T cells (Tregs) and their clones, and not in activated effector T cells, indicating that GARP is a marker for bona fide Tregs. A different phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have a different immunologic mechanism. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the distribution of Tregs defined by GARP is related to the multi-organ loss of tissue phenotype in COPD. METHODS: GARP expression on T cells from peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) collected from patients with COPD was examined by flow cytometry. The correlation of GARP expression to clinical outcomes and clinical phenotype, including the body mass index, lung function and quantitative computed tomography (CT) scoring of emphysema, was analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with more baseline emphysema had lower forced expiratory volume, body mass index (BMI), worse functional capacity, and more osteoporosis, thus, resembling the multiple organ loss of tissue (MOLT) phenotype. Peripheral Foxp3(+)GARP(+) Tregs are reduced in COPD patients, and this reduction reversely correlates with quartiles of CT emphysema severity in COPD. Meanwhile, the frequencies of Foxp3(+)GARP(−) Tregs, which are characteristic of pro-inflammatory cytokine production, are significantly increased in COPD patients, and correlated with increasing quartiles of CT emphysema severity in COPD. Tregs in BAL show a similar pattern of variation in peripheral blood. CONCLUSION: Decreased GARP expression reflects more advanced disease in MOLT phenotype of COPD. Our results have potential implications for better understanding of the immunological nature of COPD and the pathogenic events leading to lung damage. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02099-2.