Regulatory T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus Article uri icon

abstract

  • Regulatory T cells have an important role in the control of self-reactivity, and in the pathogenesis of autoimmune inflammatory conditions. The aim of this work was to perform a quantitative and functional analysis of regulatory T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We studied twenty-three patients with SLE (19 active, 4 inactive), and twenty-seven healthy subjects as well as fifteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The following cell subsets were analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by flow cytometry: CD4 CD25 , CD4 CD25bright, CD4 Foxp3 (Treg cells), CD8 CD28- (Ts cells), CD4 IL-10 (Tr1 cells), and CD4 TGF-β (Th3 cells). In addition, the in vitro suppressive activity of CD4 CD25 lymphocytes was tested. We found no significant differences in the levels of all regulatory cell subsets studied in SLE patients compared to controls and RA patients. However, a defective regulatory function of CD4 CD25 T cells was observed in a significant fraction (31%25) of patients with SLE. Our data indicate that although approximately one third of patients with SLE show an abnormal immunosuppressive function of Treg lymphocytes, their levels of the different regulatory T cell subsets in peripheral blood are not significantly different from those found in controls. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  • Regulatory T cells have an important role in the control of self-reactivity, and in the pathogenesis of autoimmune inflammatory conditions. The aim of this work was to perform a quantitative and functional analysis of regulatory T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We studied twenty-three patients with SLE (19 active, 4 inactive), and twenty-seven healthy subjects as well as fifteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The following cell subsets were analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by flow cytometry: CD4%2bCD25%2b, CD4%2bCD25bright, CD4%2bFoxp3%2b (Treg cells), CD8%2bCD28- (Ts cells), CD4%2bIL-10%2b (Tr1 cells), and CD4%2bTGF-β%2b (Th3 cells). In addition, the in vitro suppressive activity of CD4%2bCD25%2b lymphocytes was tested. We found no significant differences in the levels of all regulatory cell subsets studied in SLE patients compared to controls and RA patients. However, a defective regulatory function of CD4%2bCD25%2bT cells was observed in a significant fraction (31%25) of patients with SLE. Our data indicate that although approximately one third of patients with SLE show an abnormal immunosuppressive function of Treg lymphocytes, their levels of the different regulatory T cell subsets in peripheral blood are not significantly different from those found in controls. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • 2006-01-01