[Expression of FOXP3 in CD4+ CD39+ T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and dynamic observation of treatment with glucocorticoid].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the level of FOXP3 expressed in CD4+ CD39+ T cells in peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and observe the regulation of glucocorticoid on it.


METHODS
Frequencies of CD4+ CD25+ CD39+, CD4 CD25+ FOXP3+ and CD4+ CD39+ FOXP3+ T cells and levels of FOXP3 protein were analyzed by flow cytometry of 47 SLE patients (including 29 untreated/active SLE) and 22 healthy controls. Meanwhile, correlations among three groups and influences of glucocorticoid were analyzed.


RESULTS
Percents of CD4+ CD25+ CD39+ T cells expressed in active SLE, inactive SLE and healthy controls were (1.3 +/- 0.5)%, (1.9 +/- 0.8)% and (2.3 +/- 1.0)% respectively, the level decreased in active SLE compared with inactive SLE and healthy controls P < 0.05 in each group, but it had no significant difference between the latter two groups (P > 0.05). In active SLE, levels of FOXP3 protein expressed in CD4+ CD25+, CD4+ CD25high and CD4+ CD39+ T cells were (45 +/- 12)%, (65 +/- 14)% and (70 +/- 14)% respectively. Levels of FOXP3 expressed in CD4+ CD25high and CD4+ CD39+ T cells were higher than that expressed in CD4+ CD25+ T cells (P < 0.01), while it had no significant difference between CD4 CD25high T cells and CD4+ CD39+ T cells (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that CD39 may be a better surface marker of regulatory T cells, and that deficiency of CD39+ Treg cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Li
Dong-mei
DM
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Anhui Medical University Affiliated Provincial Hospital, Hefei 230001, China.
Li
Xiang-pei
XP
Li
Xiao-mei
XM
Wang
Guo-sheng
GS
Ma
Yan
Y
Zhao
Shu-shan
SS
Zheng
Song-guo
SG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D015704:CD4 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D005938:Glucocorticoids