The frequency of CD4+ and CD8+ circulating T stem cell memory in type 1 diabetes

INTRODUCTION: The frequencies and functions of T stem cell memory (TSCM) subsets vary in autoimmune diseases. We evaluated the frequencies of CD4(+) and CD8(+) TSCM subsets as well as their PD‐1 expression levels in patients with T1D. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from new case (NC) (n = 15), and long‐term (LT) (n = 15) groups and healthy controls (n = 15). Five subsets of T cells including TCM(CD4(+)/CD8(+) CCR7(+) CD45RO(+) CD95(+)), TCM(hi) (CD4(+)/CD8(+) CCR7(+) CD45RO(hi) CD95(+)), TEM(CD4(+)/CD8(+) CCR7(−) CD45RO(+) CD95(+)), TSCM(CD4(+)/CD8(+) CCR7(+) CD45RO(−) CD95(+)), and T naive (CD4(+)/CD8(+) CCR7(+) CD45RO(−) CD95(−)) were detected by flow‐cytometry. RESULTS: The frequency of CD4(+) TSCM was higher in NC patients than LT patients and controls (p < .0001 and p = .0086, respectively). A higher percentage of the CD8(+) T naive cells was shown in NC patients as compared with LT and healthy individuals (p = .0003 and p = .0002, respectively). An increased level of PD‐1 expression was observed on the CD4(+)TCM and TCM(hi) cells in LT patients as compared with healthy controls (p = .0037 and p = .0145, respectively). Also, the higher PD‐1 expression was observed on the CD8(+) TCM and TCM(hi) in NC and LT patients as compared with controls (p = .0068 and p < .0001; p = .0012 and p = .0012, respectively). CONCLUSION: Considering TSCMs' capacities to generate all memory and effector T cells, our results may suggest a potential association between the increased frequencies of TSCMs and T1D progression.