title: The Clinical Relevance of IL-17-Producing CD4+CD161+ Cell and Its Subpopulations in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Th17 cells have been demonstrated to play an important role in the onset and development of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). In this study, we evaluated the expansion and clinical significance of circulating CD4+CD161+ T cell and its "effector" (CD4+CD25-CD161+ T cell) and "regulatory" (CD4+CD25+CD161+ T cell) subpopulations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight pSS patients and 16 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in our study. The cell populations and intracellular IL-17 expression were analyzed by flow cytometry. The disease activity was evaluated by the EULAR-SS Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI). Autoantibodies were measured by ELISA or indirect immunofluorescence assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CD161+ T cell fractions showed higher proportions of IL-17-producing cells. The frequencies of the overall CD4+CD161+ T cell population and its effector subset were positively correlated with disease activity parameters and more severe disease manifestations. A significant elevation of the CD4+CD25+CD161+ T cell subpopulation was observed in the peripheral blood of pSS patients compared to HCs and this subset showed decreased regulatory functions compared with the CD4+CD25+CD161- population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circulating CD4+CD161+ T cell populations associated with pSS disease activity and severity. These cells might be involved in the development of pSS and could be potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of pSS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Linbo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Yuqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Yuebo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Rulin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Yanying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Clinical Immunology Center, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing 100044, China.
authors.forename: Zhanguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000378:metabolism; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D020381:Interleukin-17; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B