Department of Orthopedics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.
J Clin Immunol. 2011 Aug;31(4):606-14. doi: 10.1007/s10875-011-9540-8. Epub 2011 May 10.
T-helper (Th) 22 and Th17 cells are implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The roles of Th22 cells in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain unsettled.
CD4(+)IFNγ(-)IL17(-)IL-22(+) T cells (Th22 cells), CD4(+)IFNγ(-)IL-22(-)IL17(+) T cells (pure Th17 cells), CD4(+)IL17(+) T cells (Th17 cells), and CD4(+)IFNγ(+) T cells (Th1 cells) in RA, osteoarthritis patients, and healthy controls were examined by flow cytometry. Plasma IL-22 and IL-17 levels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Th22 cells, pure Th17 cells, Th17 cells, and interleukin-22 were significantly elevated in RA patients compared with osteoarthritis and healthy controls, but there were no significant differences regarding Th1 cells and interleukin-17. Th22 cells showed a positive correlation with interleukin-22 as well as pure Th17 cells or Th17 cells in RA patients. Additionally, the percentages of Th22 cells, pure Th17 cells as well as Th17 cells correlated positively with both C-reactive protein levels and 28-joints disease activity score.
Together, our results indicated a possible role of Th22 pure Th17 cells and Th17 cells in RA, and blockade of the interleukin-22 may be a reasonable therapeutic strategy for RA.
辅助性 T 细胞 22（Th22）和 Th17 细胞参与了自身免疫性疾病的发病机制。Th22 细胞在类风湿关节炎（RA）的病理生理学中的作用仍未确定。
通过流式细胞术检测 RA 患者、骨关节炎患者和健康对照者的 CD4+IFNγ(-)IL17(-)IL-22(+)T 细胞（Th22 细胞）、CD4+IFNγ(-)IL-22(-)IL17(+)T 细胞（纯 Th17 细胞）、CD4+IL17(+)T 细胞（Th17 细胞）和 CD4+IFNγ(+)T 细胞（Th1 细胞）。采用酶联免疫吸附试验检测血浆 IL-22 和 IL-17 水平。
与骨关节炎和健康对照组相比，RA 患者的 Th22 细胞、纯 Th17 细胞、Th17 细胞和白细胞介素-22 显著升高，但 Th1 细胞和白细胞介素-17 无显著差异。Th22 细胞与白细胞介素-22 以及 RA 患者的纯 Th17 细胞或 Th17 细胞呈正相关。此外，Th22 细胞、纯 Th17 细胞和 Th17 细胞的百分比与 C 反应蛋白水平和 28 个关节疾病活动评分均呈正相关。
总之，我们的研究结果表明 Th22 细胞、纯 Th17 细胞和 Th17 细胞在 RA 中可能发挥作用，阻断白细胞介素-22 可能是治疗 RA 的一种合理的治疗策略。
