Carulli Giovanni, Lagomarsini Ginetta, Azzarà Antonio, Testi Rossana, Riccioni Rossella, Petrini Mario
Division of Hematology, Department of Oncology, Transplants and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Acta Haematol. 2004;111(3):163-7. doi: 10.1159/000076526.
A 55-year-old woman presented with staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS). During the course of the disease a significant lymphocytosis appeared, and a high number of TcRalphabeta+CD3+CD4-CD8- (double-negative, DN) lymphocytes was observed both in bone marrow and in peripheral blood samples. Correction of the altered lymphocyte immunophenotype was observed only 6 weeks after recovery from TSS. The immunophenotype of circulating and bone marrow lymphocytes was also studied during a phase of an aspecific febrile episode observed 2 months after recovery, but no subset of DN lymphocytes was found. A small subset of DN lymphocytes can be found in normal bone marrow, liver, thymus, and skin. These cells show peculiar immune regulatory properties and can increase in certain autoimmune diseases. Our findings may represent a specific effect of lymphocyte stimulation by the staphylococcal exotoxin, which is the effector agent of TSS.
一名55岁女性患葡萄球菌中毒性休克综合征（TSS）。在疾病过程中出现了显著的淋巴细胞增多，并且在骨髓和外周血样本中均观察到大量TCRαβ⁺CD3⁺CD4⁻CD8⁻（双阴性，DN）淋巴细胞。仅在从TSS恢复6周后才观察到改变的淋巴细胞免疫表型得到纠正。在恢复后2个月观察到的非特异性发热发作阶段，还研究了循环和骨髓淋巴细胞的免疫表型，但未发现DN淋巴细胞亚群。在正常骨髓、肝脏、胸腺和皮肤中可发现一小部分DN淋巴细胞。这些细胞表现出特殊的免疫调节特性，并且在某些自身免疫性疾病中会增多。我们的发现可能代表葡萄球菌外毒素对淋巴细胞刺激的特定效应，葡萄球菌外毒素是TSS的效应因子。
