Increase of circulating α4β7+ conventional memory CD4 and regulatory T cells in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID)

This study investigated whether circulating α4β7+ expressing T cells could serve as a potential marker for gastrointestinal (GI) disease activity in patients with CVID. The analysis of α4β7+ T cells in the peripheral blood of 36 patients and 22 healthy donors (HD) revealed increased percentages of α4β7+ conventional memory CD4 T cells and Tregs, but not among CD8 T-cell populations in patients with CVID compared to HD. No differences between patients with and without chronic or acute GI symptoms were observed. EUROClass smB − and 21lo patients, had higher percentages of α4β7+ memory CD4 T cells compared to HD and smB + or 21norm patients, respectively. In summary, the detection of α4β7+ T cells in the peripheral blood did not correlate with active or chronic gastrointestinal disease. The increase of these cells in smB − and 21lo patients adds another piece to the immune dysregulation observed in these patients.