Unusual T cell receptor phenotype V gene usage of gamma delta T cells in aline derived from the peripheral nerve of a patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome

Guillain-Barre syndrome is considered to be an immune mediated disorder but the relative role of T cells and antibodies in its pathogenesis is unclear . As gut infection with Campylobacter jejuni is the most common antecedent infection it is possible that gut derived T lymphocytes might play a part i n the development of the syndrome. The T cell receptor phenotype (TCR) of a nerve gamma delta T cell line obta ined from a sural nerve biopsy taken from a patient with a demyelinating fo rm of GBS was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow cyt ometry (FACS). This TCR was compared with the phenotype preferentially expr essed in the peripheral blood of the same patient. The T cell nerve Line was found to express V gamma 8/delta 1 which represen ts an unusual T cell subset normally found on lymphocytes resident in epith elial tissue such as the gut. The peripheral blood gamma delta T lymphocyte s from the patient were of the V gamma 9/delta 2 subset, which is the pheno type predominantly expressed in the peripheral blood of healthy subjects. In conclusion, the presence of this unusual population of V gamma 8/delta 1 (+) lymphocytes in nerve would be consistent with a pathogenetic role for g ut associated lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome as sociated with C jejuni.