Geng Lina, Li Ting, Liu Yan, Liu Xuntao, Wang Jing, Zhang Lei, Yang Jinliang, Zhang Bin
Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, 13 Changqing Road, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Department of Pharmacy, Zhangjiakou Second Hospital, 9 Changcheng West Street, Zhangjiakou City, 075000, Hebei Province, China.
Clin Rheumatol. 2025 May;44(5):1907-1917. doi: 10.1007/s10067-025-07415-x. Epub 2025 Mar 27.
The imbalance of Th17 cells and Treg cells in synovium participates in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) can attenuate arthritis in mice. The study aimed to explore the causes of Th17/Treg cell imbalance and investigate whether LBP could correct this imbalance in patients with RA.
The study recruited 23 healthy controls and 58 RA patients. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the percentage of C-C chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) Th17 cells and CCR9 Treg cells. IL-17A and IL-10 were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. LBP was added to Treg cells or Th17 cells differentiation system to explore the role of LBP in differentiation of CCR9 Th17/Treg cells.
In the peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) of RA patients, there was a rise in the proportion of CCR9 Th17 cells and a decline in the proportion of CCR9 Treg cells. Furthermore, a positive association was observed between the CCR9 Th17/Treg ratio in PB and disease activity. In vitro, LBP could promote the differentiation of CCR9 Treg cells and inhibit the differentiation of CCR9 Th17 cells.
In summary, the CCR9 Th17/ Treg ratio is increased in peripheral blood and synovial fluid in patients with RA, and LBP can correct the CCR9 Th17/ Treg cells imbalance. Key Points • CCR9+ Th17/ Treg ratio is increased in PB and SF in patients with RA. • LBP can correct the CCR9+ Th17/ Treg cells imbalance in vitro.
滑膜中Th17细胞与调节性T细胞（Treg细胞）的失衡参与类风湿关节炎（RA）的发病过程，枸杞多糖（LBP）可减轻小鼠的关节炎症状。本研究旨在探讨Th17/Treg细胞失衡的原因，并研究LBP能否纠正RA患者的这种失衡。
本研究招募了23名健康对照者和58名RA患者。采用流式细胞术分析C-C趋化因子受体9（CCR9）Th17细胞和CCR9 Treg细胞的百分比。通过酶联免疫吸附测定法评估白细胞介素-17A（IL-17A）和白细胞介素-10（IL-10）。将LBP添加到Treg细胞或Th17细胞分化体系中，以探讨LBP在CCR9 Th17/Treg细胞分化中的作用。
在RA患者的外周血（PB）和滑液（SF）中，CCR9 Th17细胞比例升高，CCR9 Treg细胞比例下降。此外，PB中CCR9 Th17/Treg比值与疾病活动度呈正相关。在体外，LBP可促进CCR9 Treg细胞的分化，并抑制CCR9 Th17细胞的分化。
综上所述，RA患者外周血和滑液中的CCR9 Th17/Treg比值升高，LBP可纠正CCR9 Th17/Treg细胞失衡。要点 • RA患者PB和SF中CCR9+ Th17/Treg比值升高。 • LBP在体外可纠正CCR9+ Th17/Treg细胞失衡。
