title: Intracytoplasmic cytokine expression and T cell subset distribution in the peripheral blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), we investigated peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and their intracellular cytokine production.
  
  
  METHODS
  The percentages of T and B lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, activated T lymphocytes, CD4+ T helper (Th), and CD8+ T cytotoxic (Tc) cells were determined by flow cytometry in 42 patients with AS compared to 52 healthy controls. In order to assess circulating Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2 subsets, we used a whole-blood cytometric assay based on the intracellular interferon-gamma, interleukin 4 (IL-4), and IL-10 expression of the cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the peripheral blood, the frequencies of CD4+ T helper and CD56+ NK cells were higher in AS (54.8% and 16.2%, respectively) compared to controls (45.3% and 10.8%) (p < 0.05). The frequencies of Th0 (1.9% vs 0.8%) and Tc0 (2.1% vs 0.8%) cells were higher, while that of Tc1 cells was lower (26.6% vs 40.1%) in patients with AS versus controls (p < 0.05). The percentage of IL-10-producing Tc cells was significantly higher in AS (18.4%) versus controls (8.5%) (p < 0.05). Finally, the active phase of AS was associated with significantly lower percentage of IL-10-producing Tc cells in the peripheral blood (6.6%) compared to patients with inactive AS (23.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide further evidence for an altered T cell subset distribution and intracytoplasmic cytokine balance in AS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Third Department of Internal Medicine, University of Debrecen, Medical and Health Science Center, Debrecen, Hungary. szanto@iiibel.dote.hu
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szántó
authors.forename: Magdolna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aleksza
authors.forename: Erzsébet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mihály
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lakos
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Végvári
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sipka
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szekanecz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines