Changes in CD4+ T cells subsets in patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis

Abstract

Alcohol-related cirrhosis (AC) is a condition that impacts in immunity. We analyzed changes over time in CD4+subsets in AC-patients. We included patients with alcohol use disorder admitted at least twice for treatment. Patients without evidence of liver disease were the control group (CG). We analyzed naïve, memory, TEMRA, Th1, Th2, Th17, early activated, and late activated subsets. During the follow-up, TEMRA T cells were increased (1.2 ± 1.1% vs. 2.1 ± 1.1%, p = 0.03) in AC-patients (n = 5) and Th17 cells were decreased (14.1 ± 4.3% vs. 12.3 ± 6.4%, p = 0.03) in the CG (n = 22). Late activated cells were associated with a decrease in memory cells in both the groups. This association was stronger in AC-patients (r = − 0.90, p = 0.04). The proportion of memory cells was correlated with an increased of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells in the CG (r = 0.70, r = 0.68, r = 0.63; p < 0.01, respectively), whereas in AC-patients was correlated with a decrease in Th17 cells (r = − 0.90, p = 0.03). AC-patients showed an increase in the proportion of TEMRA T cells, loss of heterogeneity and decreased CD4+ differentiation.