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  • Human Peripheral Blood Gamma Delta T Cells: Report on a Series of Healthy Caucasian Portuguese Adults and Comprehensive Review of the Literature
    Publication . Fonseca, Sónia; Pereira, Vanessa; Lau, Catarina; Teixeira, Maria dos Anjos; Bini-Antunes, Marika; Lima, Margarida
    Gamma delta T cells (Tc) are divided according to the type of Vδ and Vγ chains they express, with two major γδ Tc subsets being recognized in humans: Vδ2Vγ9 and Vδ1. Despite many studies in pathological conditions, only a few have quantified the γδ Tc subsets in healthy adults, and a comprehensive review of the factors influencing its representation in the blood is missing. Here we quantified the total γδ Tc and the Vδ2/Vγ9 and Vδ1 Tc subsets in the blood from 30 healthy, Caucasian, Portuguese adults, we characterized their immunophenotype by 8-color flow cytometry, focusing in a few relevant Tc markers (CD3/TCR-γδ, CD5, CD8), and costimulatory (CD28), cytotoxic (CD16) and adhesion (CD56) molecules, and we examined the impacts of age and gender. Additionally, we reviewed the literature on the influences of race/ethnicity, age, gender, special periods of life, past infections, diet, medications and concomitant diseases on γδ Tc and their subsets. Given the multitude of factors influencing the γδ Tc repertoire and immunophenotype and the high variation observed, caution should be taken in interpreting "abnormal" γδ Tc values and repertoire deviations, and the clinical significance of small populations of "phenotypically abnormal" γδ Tc in the blood.
  • IL-31 and IL-8 in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: Looking for Their Role in Itch
    Publication . Abreu, Maria; Miranda, Marta; Castro, M; Fernandes, Iolanda; Cabral, Renata; Santos, Ana Helena; Fonseca, Sonia; Rodrigues, João; Leander, Magdalena; Lau, Catarina; Freitas, Inês; Coimbra, Susana; Santos-Silva, Alice; Lima, Margarida
    The itch associated with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), including Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS), is often severe and poorly responsive to treatment with antihistamines. Recent studies have highlighted the possible role of interleukins in nonhistaminergic itch. We investigated the role of IL-31 and IL-8 in CTCL, concerning disease severity and associated itch. Serum samples of 27 patients with CTCL (17 MF and 10 SS) and 29 controls (blood donors) were analyzed for interleukin- (IL-) 31 and IL-8; correlations with disease and itch severity were evaluated. IL-31 serum levels were higher in CTCL patients than in controls and higher in SS than in MF. Also, serum IL-31 levels were higher in patients with advanced disease compared to those with early disease, and they correlated positively with lactate dehydrogenase and beta 2-microglobulin levels, as well as with the Sézary cell count. Itch affected 67% of CTCL patients (MF: 47%; SS: 100%). Serum IL-31 levels were higher in itching patients than in controls and in patients without itching. There was no association between serum IL-8 and disease severity, nor with itching. Serum IL-8 levels correlated positively with peripheral blood leukocyte and neutrophil counts in CTCL patients. Our study suggests a role for IL-31 in CTCL-associated itch, especially in advanced disease and SS, offering a rational target for new therapeutic approaches. Increased serum IL-8 observed in some patients may be related to concomitant infections, and its role in exacerbating itch by recruiting neutrophils and promoting the release of neutrophil proteases deserves further investigation
  • Manifestações Cutâneas nas Mastocitoses: Atualização
    Publication . Ferreira, Sandra; Fernandes, Iolanda; Cabral, Renata; Machado, Susana; Lima, Margarida; Selores, Manuela
    Introdução: As mastocitoses caraterizam-se pela expansão clonal de mastócitos, com acumulação de mastócitos morfológica e imunofenotipicamente anormais em diferentes órgãos. A pele é o órgão mais frequentemente envolvido. Virtualmente, todas as crianças e mais de 80% dos adultos com mastocitose apresentam lesões cutâneas. Material e Métodos: O presente artigo descreve os sinais e sintomas associados à mastocitose na pele, tendo por base a revisão das normas de orientação de consenso internacionais, recentemente publicadas. Discussão: De acordo com a classificação proposta pela Organização Mundial de Saúde em 2016, a mastocitose divide-se em mastocitose cutânea, mastocitose sistémica e sarcoma de mastócitos. A mastocitose cutânea pode subdividir-se em três subtipos: a mastocitose cutânea maculopapular (também denominada urticária pigmentosa), mastocitose cutânea difusa e mastocitoma cutâneo. A telangiectasia macular eruptiva perstans já não é considerada uma entidade independente. Conclusão: As manifestações cutâneas da mastocitose são variáveis, dependendo da idade de início da doença. Recentemente a classificação da mastocitose cutânea foi atualizada. Nas crianças, a mastocitose ocorre como mastocitose cutânea que tende à regressão espontânea durante a adolescência. Quando tem início na idade adulta, a mastocitose é geralmente sistémica, sendo a forma mais frequente a mastocitose sistémica indolente, que normalmente também cursa com manifestações cutâneas e tem um curso crónico.
  • KIT D816V Positive Acute Mast Cell Leukemia Associated with Normal Karyotype Acute Myeloid Leukemia
    Publication . Lopes, M.; Teixeira, M.; Casais, C.; Mesquita, V.; Seabra, P.; Cabral, R.; Palla-Garcia, J.; Lau, C.; Rodrigues, J.; Jara-Acevedo, M.; Freitas, I.; Vizcaíno, J.; Coutinho, J.; Escribano, L.; Orfao, A.; Lima, M.
    Introduction: Mast cell (MC) leukemia (MCL) is extremely rare. We present a case of MCL diagnosed concomitantly with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). Case Report: A 41-year-old woman presented with asthenia, anorexia, fever, epigastralgia, and diarrhea. She had a maculopapular skin rash, hepatosplenomegaly, retroperitoneal adenopathies, pancytopenia, 6% blast cells (BC) and 20% MC in the peripheral blood, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, cholestasis, hypoalbuminemia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and increased serum tryptase (184 μg/L). The bone marrow (BM) smears showed 24% myeloblasts, 17% promyelocytes, and 16% abnormal toluidine blue positive MC, and flow cytometry revealed 12% myeloid BC, 34% aberrant promyelocytes, a maturation blockage at the myeloblast/promyelocyte level, and 16% abnormal CD2-CD25+ MC. The BM karyotype was normal, and the KIT D816V mutation was positive in BM cells. The diagnosis of MCL associated with AML was assumed. The patient received corticosteroids, disodium cromoglycate, cladribine, idarubicin and cytosine arabinoside, high-dose cytosine arabinoside, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The outcome was favorable, with complete hematological remission two years after diagnosis and one year after HSCT. Conclusions: This case emphasizes the need of an exhaustive laboratory evaluation for the concomitant diagnosis of MCL and AML, and the therapeutic options.
  • αIIbβ3 variants in ten families with autosomal dominant macrothrombocytopenia: Expanding the mutational and clinical spectrum
    Publication . Morais, Sara; Oliveira, Jorge; Lau, Catarina; Pereira, Mónica; Gonçalves, Marta; Monteiro, Catarina; Gonçalves, Ana; Matos, Rui; Sampaio, Marco; Cruz, Eugénia; Freitas, Inês; Santos, Rosário; Lima, Margarida
    Background: Rare pathogenic variants in either the ITGA2B or ITGB3 genes have been linked to autosomal dominant macrothrombocytopenia associated with abnormal platelet production and function, deserving the designation of Glanzmann Thrombasthenia-Like Syndrome (GTLS) or ITGA2B/ITGB3-related thrombocytopenia. Objectives: To describe a series of patients with familial macrothrombocytopenia and decreased expression of αIIbβ3 integrin due to defects in the ITGA2B or ITGB3 genes. Methods: We reviewed the clinical and laboratory records of 10 Portuguese families with GTLS (33 patients and 11 unaffected relatives), including the functional and genetic defects. Results: Patients had absent to moderate bleeding, macrothrombocytopenia, low αIIbβ3 expression, impaired platelet aggregation/ATP release to physiological agonists and low expression of activation-induced binding sites on αIIbβ3 (PAC-1) and receptor-induced binding sites on its ligand (bound fibrinogen), upon stimulation with TRAP-6 and ADP. Evidence for constitutive αIIbβ3 activation, occurred in 2 out of 9 patients from 8 families studied, but also in 2 out of 12 healthy controls. We identified 7 missense variants: 3 in ITGA2B (5 families), and 4 in ITGB3 (5 families). Three variants (αIIb: p.Arg1026Trp and p.Arg1026Gln and β3: p.Asp749His) were previously reported. The remaining (αIIb: p.Gly1007Val and β3: p.Thr746Pro, p.His748Pro and p.Arg760Cys) are new, expanding the αIIbβ3 defects associated with GTLS. The integration of the clinical and laboratory data allowed the identification of two GTLS subgroups, with distinct disease severity. Conclusions: Previously reported ITGA2B and ITGB3 variants related to thrombocytopenia were clustered in a confined region of the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic domains, the inner membrane clasp. For the first time, variants are reported at the outer membrane clasp, at the transmembrane domain of αIIb, and at the membrane distal cytoplasmic domains of β3. This is the largest single-center series of inherited macrothrombocytopenia associated with αIIbβ3 variants published to date.
  • A pilot study on the usefulness of peripheral blood flow cytometry for the diagnosis of lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes: the "MDS thermometer"
    Publication . Aires, A.; Teixeira, M.; Lau, C.; Moreira, C.; Spínola, A.; Mota, A.; Freitas, I.; Coutinho, J.; Lima, M.
    Background: Immunophenotypic analysis of the bone marrow (BM) cells has proven to be helpful in the diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). However, the usefulness of flow cytometry (FCM) for the detection of myelodysplasia in the peripheral blood (PB) still needs to be investigated. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the value of FCM-based PB neutrophil and monocyte immunophenotyping for the diagnosis of lower risk MDS (LR-MDS). Methods: We evaluated by 8-color FCM the expression of multiple cell surface molecules (CD10, CD11b, CD11c, CD13, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD34, CD45, CD56, CD64 and HLA-DR) in PB neutrophils and monocytes from a series of 14 adult LR-MDS patients versus 14 normal individuals. Results: Peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with LR-MDS frequently had low forward scatter (FSC) and side scatter (SSC) values and low levels of CD11b, CD11c, CD10, CD16, CD13 and CD45 expression, in that order, as compared to normal neutrophils. In addition, patients with LR-MDS commonly display a higher fraction of CD14+CD56+ and a lower fraction of CD14+CD16+ monocytes in the PB. Based on these results, we proposed an immunophenotyping score based on which PB samples from patients with LR-MDS could be distinguished from normal PB samples with a sensitivity 93% and a specificity of 100%. In addition, we used this score to construct the MDS Thermometer, a screening tool for detection and monitoring of MDS in the PB in clinical practice. Conclusions: Peripheral blood neutrophil and monocyte immunophenotyping provide useful information for the diagnosis of LR-MDS, as a complement to cytomorphology. If validated by subsequent studies in larger series of MDS patients and extended to non-MDS patients with cytopenias, our findings may improve the diagnostic assessment and avoid invasive procedures in selected groups of MDS patients.
  • Metabolic control of T cell immune response through glycans in inflammatory bowel disease
    Publication . Dias, A.; Correia, A.; Pereira, M.; Almeida, C.; Alves, I.; Pinto, V.; Catarino, T.; Mendes, N.; Leander, M.; Oliva-Teles, M.; Maia, L.; Delerue-Matos, C.; Taniguchi, N.i; Lima, Margarida; Pedroto, I.; Marcos-Pinto, Ricardo; Lago, P.; Reis, C.; Vilanova, M.; Pinho, S.
    Mucosal T lymphocytes from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were previously shown to display a deficiency in branched N-glycosylation associated with disease severity. However, whether this glycosylation pathway shapes the course of the T cell response constituting a targeted-specific mechanism in UC remains largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that metabolic supplementation of ex vivo mucosal T cells from patients with active UC with N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) resulted in enhancement of branched N-glycosylation in the T cell receptor (TCR), leading to suppression of T cell growth, inhibition of the T helper 1 (Th1)/Th17 immune response, and controlled T cell activity. We further demonstrated that mouse models displaying a deficiency in the branched N-glycosylation pathway (MGAT5-/-, MGAT5+/-) exhibited increased susceptibility to severe forms of colitis and early-onset disease. Importantly, the treatment of these mice with GlcNAc reduced disease severity and suppressed disease progression due to a controlled T cell-mediated immune response at the intestinal mucosa. In conclusion, our human ex vivo and preclinical results demonstrate the targeted-specific immunomodulatory properties of this simple glycan, proposing a therapeutic approach for patients with UC.