Huang Zhi-xiang, Zheng Ben-rong, Li Tian-wang, Lu Ying-min, Gu Jie-ruo, Han Xiao-yan
Department of Rheumatology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2009 Sep 22;89(35):2476-80.
To study the proportion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and investigate the significance of Tregs change in the incidence and inflammatory activity of RA.
Three-color fluorescence flow cytometry was used to detect the CD4, CD25 and CD127 markers in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 25 RA patients and 31 healthy volunteers (HVs). The proportions of CD4(+)CD25(+), CD4(+)CD25(high), CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) cells were compared between the two groups and correlation analysis was conducted between Tregs and disease activity indices which including disease activity score (DAS28-4), tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), time of morning stiffness, patient's global assessment of disease activity on a 100 mm VAS by doctor and patients, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein.
The proportions of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) cells in CD4(+) peripheral T lymphocytes were (2.53 +/- 0.85)% and (0.91 +/- 0.32)% respectively in RA group, while they were (3.22 +/- 0.97)% and (1.25 +/- 0.41)% in HV group. Both of the proportions of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) cells were lower in RA group comparing with HV group, and both were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated significant negative correlations of the proportions of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) and CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) cells with DAS28-4 and TJC (P < 0.05), furthermore, CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(-) T cells still showed significant negative correlation with the SJC and patient's global assessment of disease activity on a 100 mm VAS by patients (P < 0.05).
The proportion of Tregs decreased in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with RA and the abnormality of Tregs may play an important role in the incidence and inflammatory activity of RA.
研究类风湿关节炎（RA）患者外周血中调节性T细胞（Tregs）的比例，并探讨Tregs变化在RA发病及炎症活动中的意义。
采用三色荧光流式细胞术检测25例RA患者和31名健康志愿者（HV）外周血淋巴细胞中的CD4、CD25和CD127标志物。比较两组中CD4(+)CD25(+)、CD4(+)CD25(高表达)、CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-)和CD4(+)CD25(高表达)CD127(-)细胞的比例，并对Tregs与疾病活动指标进行相关性分析，疾病活动指标包括疾病活动评分（DAS28-4）、压痛关节数（TJC）、肿胀关节数（SJC）、晨僵时间、医生和患者对疾病活动的整体评估（100mm视觉模拟量表）、红细胞沉降率和C反应蛋白。
RA组CD4(+)外周T淋巴细胞中CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-)和CD4(+)CD25(高表达)CD127(-)细胞的比例分别为(2.53±0.85)%和(0.91±0.32)%，而HV组分别为(3.22±0.97)%和(1.25±0.41)%。RA组CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-)和CD4(+)CD25(高表达)CD127(-)细胞的比例均低于HV组，两组间差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。相关性分析表明，CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-)和CD4(+)CD25(高表达)CD127(-)细胞的比例与DAS28-4和TJC呈显著负相关（P<0.05），此外，CD4(+)CD25(高表达)CD127(-)T细胞与SJC以及患者对疾病活动的整体评估（100mm视觉模拟量表）仍呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。
RA患者外周血淋巴细胞中Tregs比例降低，Tregs异常可能在RA发病及炎症活动中起重要作用。
