title: Increased interleukin 21 and follicular helper T-like cells and reduced interleukin 10+ B cells in patients with new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the potential role of follicular helper T cells (TFH) and interleukin 10 (IL-10)+ B cells in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  The numbers of peripheral blood CD27+, CD38+, CD86+, CD95+, IL-10+ B cells, and inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS)+, programmed death-1 (PD-1)+, IL-21+, CXCR5+CD4+ TFH-like cells were examined in 23 patients with new onset SLE and 20 healthy controls (HC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with HC, significantly reduced numbers of CD19+ and IL-10+ B cells, but increased numbers of CD27(high), CD86+, CD95+ B cells, CXCR5+CD4+, ICOS+, PD-1+, and IL-21+ TFH-like cells were detected, which were accompanied by higher levels of serum IL-21, but lower levels of IL-10 in the patients. Treatment with anti-SLE therapy modulated the imbalance of different subsets of B and TFH-like cells. The levels of serum IL-21 and IL-10 were positively correlated with the numbers of CD4+CXCR5+ TFH-like and CD19+CD5+CD1d+ B cells in the patients, respectively. The numbers of CD27(high) B cells were correlated positively with IL-21+ TFH-like cells, but negatively with IL-10+ B cells. The values of SLE Disease Activity Index, C3, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were correlated positively with serum IL-21, but negatively with IL-10 in those patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that the imbalance of IL-21+ TFH-like, CD27(high), and IL-10+ B cells may be associated with the pathogenesis of SLE, and levels of serum IL-21 and IL-10 may be valuable for evaluating disease activity in SLE.
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University.
authors.forename: Pingwei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University.
authors.forename: Yuxing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: From the Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education; and the Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.L. Wang, MD; P. Zhao, MD; L. Ma, MD; Y. Shan, MD; J. Wang, MD; Y. Jiang, MD, PhD, Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital; Z. Jiang, Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University. yanfangjiang@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D000098546:Interleukin-21
keywords: B CELLS; FOLLICULAR HELPER T-LIKE CELLS; INTERLEUKIN 10; INTERLEUKIN 21; REGULATORY B CELL; SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS