Immunology, Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Autoimmun Rev. 2013 Jan;12(3):401-9. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2012.07.011. Epub 2012 Jul 25.
CD8(+) T cells have long been suggested to play a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current paradigm on the pathogenesis and maintenance of the disease would endorse these cells with predominantly protective and minor influences. However, several animal studies suggest that these cells may have a predominantly proinflammatory (cytotoxic) effect in the disease. Other studies claim otherwise, that they have a mainly regulatory role in inflammatory joints. The evidence in human disease is remarkably scarce. Studies in human samples indicate that CD8(+) T cells play an important role in the establishment of germinal centers observed in nearly 50% of RA patients, which may have a decisive role in the initiation and maintenance of the disease process. The conflicting results of experimental studies, the scarcity of data and the complexity of research needed to unravel these complex interactions may explain the relative oblivion of CD8 cells in the field of arthritis over recent decades. Is this a wise decision or may we run the risk of not finding the key to RA because we search for it where there is light as opposed to its probable location? The present review brings together available data on the potential role of CD8(+) T cells in inflammation, with emphasis on rheumatoid arthritis, hoping to foster interest and fresh research in this area.
CD8(+) T 细胞在类风湿关节炎 (RA) 中发挥作用的观点由来已久。目前关于疾病发病机制和维持的范式将这些细胞主要归为具有保护作用和较小影响。然而，一些动物研究表明，这些细胞在疾病中可能具有主要的促炎（细胞毒性）作用。其他研究则认为，它们在炎症关节中主要起调节作用。人类疾病中的证据非常缺乏。人类样本研究表明，CD8(+) T 细胞在近 50%的 RA 患者中观察到的生发中心的建立中发挥重要作用，这可能在疾病过程的启动和维持中起决定性作用。实验研究的结果相互矛盾，数据的缺乏以及揭示这些复杂相互作用所需的研究的复杂性，可能解释了 CD8 细胞在过去几十年中在关节炎领域相对被忽视的原因。这是一个明智的决定，还是我们可能因为在有光的地方寻找而不是在可能的地方寻找，而错失了寻找 RA 关键的机会？本综述汇集了关于 CD8(+) T 细胞在炎症中，特别是在类风湿关节炎中的潜在作用的现有数据，希望能激发该领域的兴趣并开展新的研究。
