title: Expression of TIM-3 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood and synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process that targets the synovial lining of diarthrodial joints. TIM-3 plays a key role in the negative regulation of the immune response. In this study, we investigated the expression of TIM-3 on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from systemic (peripheral blood) and local (synovial fluid) perspectives of RA. Level of TIM-3+ cells from peripheral blood and synovial fluid of patients as well as peripheral blood of healthy controls was measured by flow cytometry. Results showed that TIM-3 expression was significantly increased in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood of RA (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, patients revealed even higher expression of TIM-3 in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in synovial fluid than in peripheral blood. When comparing TIM-3 level with the severity of RA, we identified that the percentage of TIM-3 on both peripheral CD4+ and peripheral CD8+ T cells was negatively correlated with disease activity score 28 (DAS28) of the patients. Similarly, TIM-3 on synovial fluid CD4+ and CD8+ T cells also revealed inverse correlation with DAS28 of the cases. Our data demonstrate a negative correlation between TIM-3 and the disease progression of RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Shufeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dayong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yeteng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huaqiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shiying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Yuanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Shuzhen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Haihan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C448908:HAVCR2 protein, human; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins
keywords: TIM-3; peripheral blood; rheumatoid arthritis; synovial fluid