A characteristic of some components of congenital and adaptive immunity of the central nervous system in the meningeal form of enteroviral infection in children
The objective. To study components of congenital and adaptive immunity in the central nervous system (CNS) in the dynamics of the acute period of the meningeal form of enteroviral infection (MF EVI). Patients and methods. We performed immunophenotyping of lymphocytes of peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in children aged 8 to 14 years in the acute period of Mf EVI with the aim to detect the major lymphocyte subpopulations (including Th1, Th2, Tc1, Tc2, etc.), memory CD4+- and CD8 <sup>+</sup>-Т cells, naïve and terminally differentiated T effector cells, and determined the composition of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Results. At days 1-10 from the onset of disease, lymphocytes in CSF were represented mainly by Т helper cells (55.15% (40.7-62.9%)). The percentage of effector CD4 <sup>+</sup>-Т lymphocytes/memory cells was 51.4% (38.7-60.5%), central memory CD4 <sup>+</sup>-Т cells - 40.0% (14.2-49.4%). Besides effector CD8 <sup>+</sup>-Т lymphocytes/memory cells (36.3% (27.8-39.7%)) the majority of cytotoxic Т lymphocytes in CSF at days 1-10 from the onset of disease were terminally differentiated CD3+cD8+-lymphocytes (37.2% (30.9-55.12%)). The number of TNF-α- and IL-2-positive Т helper cells in CSF exceeded the number of IFN-γ- and IL-4-synthesizing CD3 <sup>+</sup>CD4 <sup>+</sup>-lymphocytes. In the first ten days of disease, the highest relative content among cytotoxic Т lymphocytes was characteristic for the subpopulation of CD3 <sup>+</sup>CD8 <sup>+</sup>IL-2 <sup>+</sup>-cells. IL-6, IL-8 and IFN-γ in CSF were higher in the first ten days of the acute period of MF EVI. Conclusion. BBB permeability in MF EVI increases under the influence of a number of factors, in particular, higher concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8. At early stages of MF EVI in children, central and effector memory T helper cells actively migrate into CSF. Apparently, it is CD4+-TEM Th1 and Th2 that control enteroviral infection of the CNS. Cytotoxic Т lymphocytes in CSF are represented mainly by effector CD8 <sup>+</sup>-Т lymphocytes/memory cells Тс1 and CD8+-TEMRA.