Regulatory T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
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+CD25(bright), CD4+Foxp3+ (Treg cells), CD8+CD28- (Ts cells), CD4+IL-10+ (Tr1 cells), and CD4+TGF-beta+ (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%) 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.
Alvarado-Sánchez
Brenda
B
Departamento de Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, UASLP, Ave. V. Carranza 2405, 78210 San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., México.
Hernández-Castro
Berenice
B
Portales-Pérez
Diana
D
Baranda
Lourdes
L
Layseca-Espinosa
Esther
E
Abud-Mendoza
Carlos
C
Cubillas-Tejeda
Ana C
AC
González-Amaro
Roberto
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10