Decreased Tim-3 and its correlation with Th1 cells in patients with immune thrombocytopenia.
Here we evaluate the expression of Tim-3 in CD4+ T cells from patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). We also counted platelets and evaluated plasma IFN-γ, IL-18 and IL-4 levels in patients with active ITP (n=26), patients with ITP in remission (n=23) and in healthy subjects (n=34) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the mRNA expression of IL-18, IFN-γ, IL-4, T-box (T-bet) and Tim-3 was studied in the blood. The CD4+ Tim-3+ cells in blood were evaluated by flow cytometry and are expressed as a percentage of the total number of CD4+ cells. The Tim-3 positive cells within the circulating CD4+ population of newly diagnosed patients were significantly decreased compared to controls. However, T-bet, IL-18 and IFN-γ levels were significantly elevated in patients. Tim-3 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of ITP patients compared to controls. The decreased levels of Tim-3 during active stages of disease suggest a possible role in the pathogenesis and course of ITP and restoration of Tim-3 may be a reasonable therapeutic strategy for ITP.
Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: snning@126.com.
Ning-Ning
NN
Shan
Department of Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Yu
Y
Hu
Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Ming
M
Hou
Internal medicine, LinShuXian people's hospital,Linyi, China.
Juan
J
Gao
Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Xin
X
Wang
Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Xin
X
Liu
Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China.
Ying
Y
Li
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
C448908:HAVCR2 protein, human; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D020382:Interleukin-18; D008565:Membrane Proteins
Immune thrombocytopenia; T-bet; T-cell immunoglobulin- and mucin- domain-containing molecule 3; Th1