Huang Lijing, Cheng Peilin, Niu Zheli, Zang Liping, Chen Zicong, Yang Chunchun, Ma Wenhua, Nie Wenjia
Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital of Huanghua, Huanghua, China.
Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2025 Jun;21(6):815-823. doi: 10.1080/1744666X.2025.2512451. Epub 2025 Jun 16.
This study investigated the correlation between serum Helios, CD226, TIGIT, and Foxp3 levels and tear film osmotic pressure in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and dry eye disease.
This case-control study enrolled 100 RA patients with dry eye and 100 healthy controls from May 2021 to June 2022. mRNA expression of target genes was quantified using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Tear film osmolality was measured with a commercial osmometer. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation and multivariate logistic regression.
Compared with controls, RA patients exhibited significantly higher mRNA levels of Helios, CD226, TIGIT, and Foxp3 ( < 0.05), along with elevated mean tear osmolarity (312.5 ± 12.3 vs. 295.4 ± 10.8 milliosmoles per liter (mOsm/L), < 0.05). Notably, 68% of RA patients exceeded the 308 mOsm/L diagnostic threshold versus 22% controls ( < 0.05). Helios ( = 0.62) and Foxp3 ( = 0.58) correlated positively with osmotic pressure, while TIGIT showed a negative correlation ( = -0.49, < 0.05). Logistic regression revealed that elevated levels of Helios (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4-3.2), CD226 (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.7), and Foxp3 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.3-2.8) were associated with increased dry eye risk ( < 0.05).
These immune markers demonstrate significant associations with tear film instability in RA, serving as potential biomarkers for ocular comorbidity monitoring.
本研究调查类风湿关节炎（RA）合并干眼症患者血清中Helios、CD226、TIGIT和Foxp3水平与泪膜渗透压之间的相关性。
本病例对照研究于2021年5月至2022年6月纳入100例患有干眼症的RA患者和100名健康对照。使用定量实时聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）对靶基因的mRNA表达进行定量分析。用商用渗透压计测量泪膜渗透压。统计分析包括Pearson相关性分析和多因素逻辑回归分析。
与对照组相比，RA患者的Helios、CD226、TIGIT和Foxp3的mRNA水平显著更高（<0.05），同时平均泪液渗透压升高（312.5±12.3 vs. 295.4±10.8毫摩尔每升（mOsm/L），<0.05）。值得注意的是，68%的RA患者超过了308 mOsm/L的诊断阈值，而对照组为22%（<0.05）。Helios（=0.62）和Foxp3（=0.58）与渗透压呈正相关，而TIGIT呈负相关（=-0.49，<0.05）。逻辑回归显示，Helios（比值比[OR]=2.1，95%置信区间[CI]：1.4-3.2）、CD226（OR=1.8，95%CI：1.2-2.7）和Foxp3（OR=1.9，95%CI：1.3-2.8）水平升高与干眼症风险增加相关（<0.05）。
这些免疫标志物与RA患者泪膜不稳定显著相关，可作为眼部合并症监测的潜在生物标志物。
