title: [The change of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the change of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg)in peripheral blood (PB)and synovial fluid (SF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its role in RA immune tolerance imbalance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in PB and SF cells in active RA patients and healthy volunteers were determined using flow cytometry. The expression of FoxP3 gene in mononuclear cells was analyzed by real-time PCR. The correlation between the frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in PB cells and disease activity indices was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Active RA patients had a higher level of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in SF cells (7.56% +/- 2.89%) than in PB cells (1.84% +/- 0.97%). Their level of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in SF cells was also higher than that of healthy volunteers (2.19% +/- 0.54%). Anti-CCP antibody (ACPA) positive RA patients had a lower level of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg (1.40% +/- 0.63%) in PB cells compared with the ACPA negative RA patients (2.85 +/- 0.87%). (2) Active RA patients had a higher mRNA level of FoxP3 in SF mononuclear cells than those inactive RA patients and healthy volunteers (P < 0.01). (3) The frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in PB cells in active RA patients had no correlation with disease activity indices (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altered frequency of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in SF cells of RA patients might contribute to RA immune tolerance imbalance in inflammatory joints.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Guo-Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-Hu
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse