[Meta analysis of the changes of regulatory T cell number in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the change of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using meta-analysis.


METHODS
The PubMed and China Biomedical Literature (CBM) databases were searched for relevant studies up to August 31, 2013. After quality assessment and data extraction for included studies, a meta-analysis was performed using the software of Comprehensive-Meta Analysis (CMA) v2.2.


RESULTS
Finally 22 case-control studies were recruited, including 12 studies reporting the change of Treg number and 12 studies for the change of Treg:CD4(+)T cell ratio. The quality of studies was moderate to high. It demonstrated that the Treg number in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of active SLE patients significantly decreased than ones in controls (WMD=-1.23%, %CI=-1.87% to -0.59%). Then, subgroup analysis was performed based on the different surface markers of Tregs. It showed that the Treg number in PBMCs of active SLE patients decreased by 1.56% for the CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs (WMD=-1.56%, 95% CI=-2.18% to -0.94%), and by 0.91% for the CD4(+)CD25(high) Tregs (WMD=-0.91%, 95% CI=-1.52% to -0.29%) compared with ones in controls. As for the ratio of Tregs to CD4(+) T cells, there was no significant difference between the SLE patients and the controls. Sensitivity analysis showed the results were robust, and the Funnel Plots showed there was no publication bias.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the current evidences, the development of SLE may be due to the decrease of Treg number in PBMCs, not to the abnormal ratio of Tregs to CD4(+) T cells.
Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071; Department of Ophthalmology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China.
Yonggang
Y
Xiang
Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China.
Lingyun
L
Xia
Evidence-based Medicine Center, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China.
Xiantao
X
Zeng
Department of Ophthalmology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China.
Yong
Y
Zhang
Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
Shengwu
S
Liu
D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
C508017:IL2RA protein, human; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit