BATF in CD8+ T cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of hematopoietic disorders characterized by bone marrow failure and immune dysregulation. Dysregulated CD8 + T-cell function contributes to the pathogenesis of MDS. Basic Leucine Zipper ATF-Like Transcription Factor ( BATF ) is a key regulator of T-cell differentiation and exhaustion. This study investigated the role of BATF in CD8 + T cells from MDS patients and its correlation with clinical parameters. Methods: Twenty-one newly diagnosed MDS patients and healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The expression of BATF , perforin, granzyme B, and TIM-3 in peripheral blood CD8 + T cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. BATF mRNA levels were quantified by real-time PCR. Correlations between BATF expression and clinical data were evaluated statistically. Results: Flow cytometry analysis revealed that BATF protein expression was significantly elevated in CD8 + T cells from higher-risk MDS patients compared with that in lower-risk patients and healthy controls, although BATF mRNA levels showed no significant difference. Functionally, BATF expression was inversely correlated with perforin expression and positively correlated with the exhaustion marker TIM-3. Clinically, BATF expression in CD8 + T cells was negatively correlated with hemoglobin concentration in MDS patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that BATF may promote CD8 + T-cell exhaustion and dysfunction in MDS, potentially contributing to anemia and disease progression. Targeting BATF could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for restoring immune function in MDS.