Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpenerstr. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpenerstr. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany.
Cells. 2022 Jul 11;11(14):2171. doi: 10.3390/cells11142171.
Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in immune tolerance and contribute to the prevention of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The differentiation, function and stability of Treg cells is controlled by members of the Ikaros zinc finger transcription factor family. In this study, we aimed to reveal how the expression of Ikaros transcription factors is affected by disease activity in RA. Therefore, we analyzed the ex vivo expression of Ikaros, Helios, Aiolos and Eos in Treg cells, Th17 cells and Th1 cells from RA patients by flow cytometry. We found significantly reduced expression of Helios, Aiolos and Eos in Treg cells from RA patients as compared to healthy controls. Moreover, Helios and Aiolos levels correlated with disease activity, as assessed by DAS28-CRP. In addition, Ikaros, Helios and Aiolos were significantly downregulated in Th1 cells from RA patients, while no difference between healthy individuals and RA was observed in Th17 cells. In summary, Helios and Aiolos expression in Treg cells correlates with disease activity and the expression levels of Ikaros transcription factors are diminished in Treg cells from RA patients. This observation could explain the reduced stability of Treg cells in RA.
调节性 T(Treg)细胞在免疫耐受中发挥重要作用,并有助于预防自身免疫性疾病,包括类风湿关节炎(RA)。Treg 细胞的分化、功能和稳定性受 Ikaros 锌指转录因子家族成员的控制。在这项研究中,我们旨在揭示 Ikaros 转录因子的表达如何受 RA 疾病活动的影响。因此,我们通过流式细胞术分析了 RA 患者 Treg 细胞、Th17 细胞和 Th1 细胞中 Ikaros、Helios、Aiolos 和 Eos 的体外表达。与健康对照组相比,我们发现 RA 患者 Treg 细胞中 Helios、Aiolos 和 Eos 的表达明显降低。此外,Helios 和 Aiolos 水平与 DAS28-CRP 评估的疾病活动相关。此外,RA 患者的 Th1 细胞中 Ikaros、Helios 和 Aiolos 的表达显著下调,而在 Th17 细胞中,健康个体与 RA 之间无差异。总之,Treg 细胞中 Helios 和 Aiolos 的表达与疾病活动相关,并且 RA 患者 Treg 细胞中 Ikaros 转录因子的表达水平降低。这一观察结果可以解释 RA 中 Treg 细胞稳定性降低的原因。