ABSTRACT
An increase in CD4+ T cells in the synovium is closely linked to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to identify the possible causes of the elevated CD4+ T cell levels and to explore the factors influencing disease activity in RA. Fifty-five RA patients, including 28 with active RA (ARA), 27 with inactive RA, and 22 healthy controls, were recruited for this study. The proportion of CCR9+CD4+ T cells and the expression of chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) on CD4+ T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescent immunoassay were used to evaluate interleukin (IL)-17A and IL-6 levels, respectively. The proportion of CCR9+CD4+ T cells and the expression of CCR9 on CD4+ T cells increased significantly in peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) in ARA compared to those in inactive RA. Furthermore, SF contained more CCR9+CD4+ T cells, IL-6, and IL-17A than PB in RA patients. Moreover, CD4+ T cells in the PB of patients with RA, especially ARA, expressed more CCR9 and secreted more IL-6 and IL-17A after activation. Here, we also demonstrated that both the percentage of CCR9+ cells in CD4+ T cells and the expression of CCR9 on circulating CD4+ T cells were positively correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody. CCR9+CD4+ T cells are elevated in PB and SF, and are associated with disease activity in patients with RA.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes , Humans , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology , CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism , Interleukin-17/metabolism , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Receptors, Chemokine/metabolism , Synovial FluidABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#Analysis of normal young people multiple stimuli ASSR (m-ASSR), single stimuli ASSR (s-ASSR), C-ABR, PTA threshold, exploratory investigation of relevance of hearing test combination thresholds (C-ABR combines with 0.5, 1.0 kHz s-ASSR) predict behavioral thresholds, using a within-subjects design.@*METHOD@#Forty-three normal hearing adults (86 ears) were treated with pure tone audiometry (PTA), m-ASSR, 0.5, 1.0 kHz s-ASSR, C-ABR. Data were analyzed by SPSS 18.0 for bivariate correlation analysis.@*RESULT@#There was significant correlation between thresholds of hearing test combination and PTA,and the correlation coefficient (r) were 0.803, 0.650, 0.649, 0.734 at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 kHz; while the correlation coefficient (r) between thresholds of m-ASSR and PTA were 0.48, 0.64, 0.57, 0.64.@*CONCLUSION@#There is significant correlation between thresholds of hearing test combination and PTA, hearing test combination can be more accurate, more reliable assessment of adults with normal hearing threshold level.
