title: The expansion of CD4+CD28- T cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Clonal expansion of CD4+CD28- T cells is a characteristic finding in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Expanded CD4+ clonotypes are present in the peripheral blood, infiltrate into the joints, and persist for years. CD4+CD28- T cells are oligoclonal lymphocytes that are rare in healthy individuals but are found in high percentages in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. The size of the peripheral blood CD4+CD28- T-cell compartment was determined in 42 patients with RA and 24 healthy subjects by two-color FACS analysis. The frequency of CD4+CD28- T cells was significantly higher in RA patients than in healthy subjects. Additionally, the number of these cells was significantly higher in patients with extra-articular manifestations and advanced joint destruction than in patients with limited joint manifestations. The results suggest that the frequency of CD4+CD28- T cells may be a marker correlating with extra-articular manifestations and joint involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacokinetics and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, Pomeranian University of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland. pawand@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawlik
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostanek
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brzosko
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brzosko
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masiuk
authors.forename: Boguslaw
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Machalinski
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gawronska-Szklarz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018106:CD28 Antigens