title: Percentages of CD4+CD161+ and CD4-CD8-CD161+ T cells in the synovial fluid are correlated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  CD161 has been identified as a marker of human IL-17-producing T cells that are implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to investigate the potential link between the percentage of CD161+ T cells and disease activity in RA patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood (PB) from 54 RA patients and 21 healthy controls was evaluated. Paired synovial fluid (SF) (n = 17) was analyzed. CD161 expression levels on CD4+, CD8+, and CD4-CD8- T cells were assessed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of CD4+CD161+ T cells in RA SF was higher than RA PB, and it was positively correlated with DAS28, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP). CD4-CD8-CD161+ T cell percentage was decreased in RA PB and was further reduced in RA SF, and its level in SF was inversely correlated with DAS28, ESR, and CRP. However, CD8+CD161+ T cell percentage was neither changed in RA PB and SF nor correlated with disease activity indices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increased CD4+CD161+ T cell percentage and a decreased CD4-CD8-CD161+ T cell percentage are present in RA SF and are associated with disease activity, and the accumulation of CD4+CD161+ T cells in SF may contribute to the local inflammation of RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Jinlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chinese Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100048, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Gastroenterology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Minghua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China ; Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C527203:KLRB1 protein, human; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D002097:C-Reactive Protein