Regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of patients with mixed connective tissue disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the percentage and absolute number of CD4+ regulatory T-cells (Treg) in 48 patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD).


METHODS
Data were classified on the basis of the stage of the disease: 17 patients were in the active stage and 31 in the inactive stage. The absolute number of CD4+/intracellular interleukin-10+ (IL-10+) and CD4+CD25+high Treg cells was determined by flow cytometry. The percentage of CD4+CD25+high suppressor T-cells was determined on the basis of Foxp3 expression.


RESULTS
The percentage and the absolute number of CD4+CD25+high Treg cells were lower in patients than in healthy controls (p<0.04), and were further decreased in patients with active MCTD and were lower than in the inactive stage (p<0.01). There was an increase in the percentage and absolute number of CD4+IL-10+ Treg cells in patients with MCTD compared to the healthy controls (p<0.02). The percentage of CD4+IL-10+ Treg cells was higher in the active stage of MCTD than in the inactive stage of the disease (p<0.005). However, we did not find any significant difference in the absolute number of CD4+IL-10+ Treg cells between the patients in the active and inactive stages of MCTD.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the decrease in the number of CD4+CD25+high Treg cells in an important factor in the immunoregulatory disturbance in patients with MCTD. We suggest that the increase in the number of CD4+IL-10+ Treg cells is a compensatory mechanism aiming to restore the balance between type 1 and type 2 cytokines in MCTD.
Baráth
S
S
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Moritz Zs. Str. 22, 4004 Debrecen, Hungary.
Sipka
S
S
Aleksza
M
M
Szegedi
A
A
Szodoray
P
P
Végh
J
J
Szegedi
G
G
Bodolay
E
E
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008947:Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / Q000097:blood*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*
D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D016753:Interleukin-10