title: Different T cells' distribution and activation degree of Th17 CD4+ cells in peripheral blood in patients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and healthy donors: preliminary results of the MAGENTA CLICAO study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine distribution of T cells and activation degree of Th CD4+ cells in peripheral blood of patients with osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and healthy donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with established diagnosis of RA according to American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 criteria, knee or hip OA according to American College of Rheumatology criteria, and healthy blood donor volunteers were eligible. Multi-channel flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CCR6, CD38, CXCR3, and HLA DR were used to distinguish and evaluate T cells' subpopulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed blood samples of 15 patients with well-defined RA, 56 with hip or knee OA, and 20 healthy age matched controls. Blood samples from RA patients showed significantly higher counts of CD4+ CD38+ DR+ (activated CD4 T cells) and Th17 (CCR6+ CXCR3-) cells as compared to OA patients and control group (P<0.01). Furthermore the samples from the OA patients showed a higher percentage of activated CD4 T cells and Th17 cells as compared to control group (P<0.05). Interestingly there was no difference between Th1 (CD4+ CXCR3+ CCR6-) and Th2 (CD4+ CXCR3- CCR6-) between the three groups (P>0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the latest view of OA disease pathogenesis, our preliminary results support the hypothesis that OA may also be a disease with an immunological/inflammatory involvement like RA. It seems that there is a quantitative but non-qualitative difference in Th17 cells' profile, including the expression of activation markers, between RA and OA.
authors: Rheumatology Unit, Fornaroli Hospital, Magenta, Italy.
authors: Alfredomaria
authors: A
authors: Lurati
authors: Rheumatology Unit, Fornaroli Hospital, Magenta, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Laria
authors: Transfusional Centre, Legnano Hospital, Legnano, Italy.
authors: Arianna
authors: A
authors: Gatti
authors: Transfusional Centre, Legnano Hospital, Legnano, Italy.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Brando
authors: Rheumatology Unit, Fornaroli Hospital, Magenta, Italy.
authors: Magda
authors: M
authors: Scarpellini
keywords: Th17; flow cytometry; osteoarthritis