Follicular helper T cells in peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
BACKGROUND
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by the presence of different autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. CD4T cells expressing CXCR5, referred as follicular helper T cells (Tfh), collaborate with B cells to produce antibodies. Differential expression of CXCR3 and CCR6 within CD4+CXCR5+T cells defines three mayor subsets: CXCR3+CCR6-(Tfh1), CXCR3-CCR6-(Tfh2) and CXCR3-CCR6+(Tfh17). The aim of the study was to assess whether there is an association between the percentage of these cells and RA and whether there is a correlation with disease activity.


METHODS
Twenty-four RA patients, 22 healthy controls (HC) and 16 undifferentiated arthritis (UA) patients were included. Percentage of CD4+CXCR5+T cells and their subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
No differences were found in the percentages of CD4+CXCR5+T cells in the comparison of RA vs HC or RA vs UA patients. Tfh1, Tfh2 and Tfh17 subsets showed no differences either. There was no correlation between CD4+CXCR5+T cells, Tfh1, Tfh2 and Tfh17, and Disease Activity Score in twenty-eight joints (DAS28) or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Surprisingly, there was a positive correlation between Tfh17 cells and C-reactive protein. Finally, there was no correlation between CD4+CXCR5+T cells, or their subsets, and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin, or between the cells and RF.


CONCLUSIONS
There were no differences between the percentages of CD4+CXCR5+T cells and their subsets in peripheral blood of RA patients and the percentages of cells in the control groups. This finding does not rule out a pathogenic role of these cells in the development and activity of RA.
Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Alicia Beatriz
AB
Costantino
Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Cristina Del Valle
CDV
Acosta
Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Laura
L
Onetti
Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Eduardo
E
Mussano
Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Ignacio Isaac
II
Cadile
Laboratorio de Inmunología y Virología, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina. Electronic address: ferreropaola@hotmail.com.
Paola Virginia
PV
Ferrero
D000328:Adult; D000075422:Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054399:Receptors, CCR6 / Q000032:analysis; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3 / Q000032:analysis; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000276:immunology
D000075422:Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies; C106311:CCR6 protein, human; C515187:CXCR3 protein, human; D054399:Receptors, CCR6; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D014746:Vimentin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
Artritis reumatoide; Células T helper foliculares; Follicular helper T cells; Immunopathogenesis; Inmunopatogénesis; Rheumatoid arthritis