Frequency and functional activity of Th17, Tc17 and other T-cell subsets in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
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.
Henriques
Ana
A
Centro de Histocompatibilidade do Centro, Portugal.
Inês
Luís
L
Couto
Maura
M
Pedreiro
Susana
S
Santos
Catarina
C
Magalhães
Mariana
M
Santos
Paulo
P
Velada
Isabel
I
Almeida
Anabela
A
Carvalheiro
Tiago
T
Laranjeira
Paula
P
Morgado
José Mário
JM
Pais
Maria Luísa
ML
da Silva
José António Pereira
JA
Paiva
Artur
A
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
D015703:Antigens, CD; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D020381:Interleukin-17; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta