Immunophenotype of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

BackgroundInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is common in dogs. Despite the known importance of intestinal lymphocytes in its pathogenesis, little is known about the role of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) in IBD.ObjectivesThe aims of this study were (1) comparison of PBLs analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) in IBD dogs and healthy controls and (2) comparison of PBLs in IBD dogs at the time of diagnosis and in dogs in clinical remission.AnimalsWhole blood samples of 19 IBD dogs at the time of diagnosis and blood samples of 6 dogs in clinical remission were collected. Ten healthy dogs served as controls.MethodsIn this prospective observational study, PBLs were analyzed with multicolor FCM by staining with a panel of anticanine and cross‐reactive monoclonal antibodies against T‐ and B‐cell differentiation antigens, including CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8α, CD8β, TCRαβ, TCRγδ, CD79αcy, and CD21.ResultsThe IBD patients’ PBLs had significantly decreased percentages of TCRγδ+ T lymphocytes (median: healthy dogs, 3.32; IBD dogs, 0.97; P = 0.03) and CD21+ B cells (median: healthy dogs, 27.61; IBD dogs, 17.26; P = 0.04). There were no significant differences in PBLs between pretreatment and follow‐up samples.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe differences between PBLs in healthy and IBD dogs analyzed by FCM indicate an imbalance of lymphocytes with different immunologic functions and emphasize the potential value of this technique in a larger cohort of dogs. The PBLs did not differ between IBD dogs before treatment and clinically well‐controlled dogs after treatment.

Development of Dog Immune System: From in Uterus to Elderly

“…MHC class I molecules are present in all nucleated cells, while MHC class II molecules are expressed only by APCs. "Unconventional" γδ-T cells are present in the spleen and mucosal surfaces, and play a role in regulating protective immune responses and integrity of the epithelial layer [11][12][13][14].…”

Serum proteome of dogs with chronic enteropathy

“…The activation of IL6 suggests the involvement of Th17 response. Although there are differences in T lymphocytes subsets in dogs with IBD compared to healthy dogs, 44 no study has investigated markers of T cell exhaustion in dogs with IBD. Our results showed upregulation of PRDM1 which is an important transcriptional regulator for T cell homeostasis and is highly expressed in exhausted T cells in chronic viral infection 45 .…”

Elucidating the Role of Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses in the Pathogenesis of Canine Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy—A Search for Potential Biomarkers

“…In humans, an increase in plasma and serum cell infiltration and local IgA, IgM, and IgG in the intestinal mucosa has been described in patients with CD [156,157] and UC [158][159][160]. Similarly, dogs with CIE show an increase in the number of B lymphocytes in the bloodstream [161] and intestinal mucosa [162] and an increase in IgG + , IgG3 + , and IgG4 + in plasma cells [73].…”

“…Increased numbers of B lymphocytes in the bloodstream and intestinal mucosa. IgG+, IgG3+, and IgG4+ also increase in plasma cells [73,161,162] Reduced IgA levels in intestinal mucosa, feces, and peripheral blood [28,144] High levels of specific IgA against serological markers such as polynuclear leukocytes, bacterial OmpC, calprotectin, gliadins, and bacterial flagellins [167] An increase in IgG-coated gut bacteria, which induce increased production of TNF-α by macrophages [168]…”