title: The in vitro addition of methotrexate and/or methylprednisolone determines peripheral reduction in Th17 and expansion of conventional Treg and of IL-10 producing Th17 lymphocytes in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The aim of our study was to evaluate methotrexate (MTX) and methylprednisolone (MP) effect on peripheral Th17 and Treg subsets in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We enrolled 15 patients (10 early RA and 5 long-standing disease) with active RA and 10 age-matched healthy donors as controls. Frequencies of Th17 and Treg were quantified using flow cytometry before and after in vitro addition of MTX, MP or both drugs. Our results showed a reduction in the overall Th17 population followed by an increase in Th17 IL-10(+) and Treg, after in vitro treatment of PBMCs with the drugs in patients with early RA. Long-standing disease patients showed a less evident increase in Treg cells and less enhancement of IL-10 Th17 cells. We suggest that the treatment with MTX and MP could ameliorate RA disease activity by normalizing the distribution/imbalance of Th17/Treg and indicate a new regulatory role of IL-17(+) cells in RA patients.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Reumatologia, Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Piazza delle Cliniche 2, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guggino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schinocca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sireci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dieli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciccia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Triolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D016753:Interleukin-10; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D008727:Methotrexate