Increased levels of activated T-cells and reduced levels of CD4/CD25+ cells in peripheral blood of Guillain-Barré syndrome patients compared to controls

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a severe, self-limiting, autoimmune motor neuropathy. This study was performed to investigate the numbers of activated T-cells and regulatory T-cells, and CD95 and bcl-2 expression in GBS patients compared to controls. The percentage of cells expressing CD69 (activated T-cells) was increased in the blood of both patients with GBS and those with other neuropathies compared to healthy controls. GBS patients displayed significant decreases in the percentage of T-lymphocytes (CD3) and CD4/CD25+ cells (T regulatory cells) compared to patients with other neuropathies and a reduction in the percentage of cytotoxic/suppressor T-lymphocytes (CD8) compared to healthy controls. CD95 expression was reduced in GBS compared to patients with other neuropathies and expression of Bcl-2 was increased in GBS compared to healthy controls. We therefore suggest that in GBS there are increased activated T-cells and disturbances in regulatory T-cells and T-cell apoptosis.