Anti-tumour necrosis factor α antibodies and circulating lymphocyte phenotypes in inflammatory bowel disease

•CD70+ receptor is a marker of T cell activation during inflammatory bowel disease.•CD70+ T cells was significantly reduced by treatment with anti-TNFα antibodies.•CD3+ T cells were increased in anti-TNFα treated compared to untreated patients.•Relation between the drug behaviour and the lymphocytes subpopulation changes.•Despite the quiescence phase of the IBD, there is a degree of cellular activation. Circulating lymphocyte subtypes are not fully explored parameters for monitoring chronic T cell activation during inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), one of the main mediators of IBD related inflammation induces expression of CD70 on T cells. CD70 limits T cell expansion and controls CD27 receptor on activated B lymphocytes. Aim of this study was to assess the number and the frequency of CD70+ T cells and CD27+ B cells in IBD patients during inactive phase of the disease under or without anti-TNFα treatment. We studied 91 patients with inactive IBD, 31 untreated, 29 treated with infliximab (IFX), and 31 treated with adalimumab (ADA). Lymphocyte phenotypes were assessed by flow cytometry using anti-CD45, CD19, CD27, CD3, and CD70 monoclonal antibodies. IFX and ADA actual capacity of TNFα neutralization in serum was estimated by the recoveryELISA technique. Whereas CD3+ T cells were increased in treated compared to untreated patients, the percentage of the CD70+ T cells was significantly lower in treated patients indicating a ‘cooling’ effect of the biological therapy. This effect differs between samples according to the therapeutic range of the circulating drug. Although the CD19+ B-cell percentage tended to be lower in treated patients, CD19+27+ memory B cells did not show significant differences between groups. Frequency of peripheral blood CD70+ T cells was significantly reduced by treatment with anti-TNFα antibodies. Monitoring of this parameter of T cells can give better insight to the disease progression and therapy application in IBD patients.