title: Frequency and functional activity of Th17, Tc17 and other T-cell subsets in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
abstract: To compare frequency and functional activity of peripheral blood (PB) Th(c)17, Th(c)1 and Treg cells and the amount of type 2 cytokines mRNA we recruited SLE patients in active (n=15) and inactive disease (n=19) and healthy age- and gender-matched controls (n=15). The study of Th(c)17, Th(c)1 and Treg cells was done by flow cytometry and cytokine mRNA by real-time PCR. Compared to NC, SLE patients present an increased proportion of Th(c)17 cells, but with lower amounts of IL-17 per cell and also a decreased frequency of Treg, but with increased production of TGF-beta and FoxP3 mRNA. Iotan active compared to inactive SLE, there is a marked decreased in frequency of Th(c)1 cells, an increased production of type 2 cytokines mRNA and a distinct functional profile of Th(c)17 cells. Our findings suggest a functional disequilibrium of T-cell subsets in SLE which may contribute to the inflammatory process and disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Histocompatibilidade do Centro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Inês
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedreiro
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Velada
authors.forename: Anabela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carvalheiro
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laranjeira
authors.forename: José Mário
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Morgado
authors.forename: Maria Luísa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pais
authors.forename: José António Pereira
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paiva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002452:Cell Count; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D020381:Interleukin-17; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta