title: Cytokine expression and cytokine-based T cell profiling in South Indian rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory disease affects up to 1% of the general population. Early diagnosis and treatment are limited by the absence of specific and reliable diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers. This study was carried out in 48 Tamil South Indian RA patients and 49 healthy controls (HC) to identify any cytokine signature(s) that could potentially serve as biomarkers. Expression profiles of Th1, Th2, Th17 and Tregs cell type-specifying cytokines and transcription factors were analyzed using real time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. To explore if such expression profiles mirror their steady state plasma levels, a bead-based multiplex fluorescent assay was carried out. We found that the expression of transcription factors T-bet (for Th1), GATA-3 (for Th2) and FoxP3 (for Tregs) were significantly lower in patients than in healthy controls (P<0.0001) similar to lowering of IFNγ (P=0.004) and IL-10 (P=0.04). The transcript levels of IL-12p40 and TNF-α were higher among patients as compared to HC (P<0.0001 and P=0.02, respectively). Circulating levels of assessed cytokines were in general higher in RA patients as compared to controls. These alterations in the expression of transcription factors and cytokines highlight the underlying dysregulation of T cell subsets in RA that reflects a predominantly inflammatory phenotype. Despite dissecting these cellular and molecular processes, no specific signature that could be of diagnostic and/or prognostic value was identified. Additional longitudinal follow-up studies, especially on newly diagnosed treatment-naïve patients are warranted to uncover clinically useful biomarkers of RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry 605006, India; INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Christina Mary
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mariaselvam
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Sofiane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salah
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Wahid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boukouaci
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France; Jean Dausset Department of Immunology and Immunogenetics and LabEx Transplantex, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moins-Teisserenc
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France; Jean Dausset Department of Immunology and Immunogenetics and LabEx Transplantex, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Rajagopal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishnamoorthy
authors.affiliation: INSERM, UMRS 1160, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France; Jean Dausset Department of Immunology and Immunogenetics and LabEx Transplantex, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris F75010, France.
authors.forename: Ryad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tamouza
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry 605006, India. Electronic address: vsnegi22@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Vir Singh
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Negi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Cytokines; Rheumatoid arthritis; Th(1)/Th(2)/Th(17); Transcription factors