Immune Profiling Reveals Decreases in Circulating Regulatory and Exhausted T Cells in Human Hypertension
Matthew R. Alexander, Bethany L. Dale, Charles D Smart, Fernando Elijovich, Cara E Wogsland, Sierra M. Lima, Jonathan M. Irish, Meena S. Madhur
Abstract
Evidence from nonhuman animal models demonstrates an important role for immune cells in hypertension, but immune cell changes in human hypertension are less clear. Using mass cytometry, we demonstrate novel and selective reductions in CCR10+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and PD-1+CD57−CD8+ memory T cells. RNA sequencing reveals that CCR10+ Tregs exhibit gene expression changes consistent with enhanced immunosuppressive function. In addition, CITE-Seq demonstrates that PD-1+CD57−CD8+ memory T cells exhibit features of T-cell exhaustion. Taken together, these results provide novel evidence for decreases in anti-inflammatory and/or hypofunctional T-cell populations that may contribute to enhanced inflammation in human hypertension.