RESUMO
Regulatory T (TREG) cells play an important role in maintaining immune tolerance and avoiding autoimmunity. We analyzed the expression of membrane molecules in TREG and effector T cells in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). TREG and effector T cells were analyzed for the expression of CTLA-4, PD1, CD28, CD95, GITR, HLA-DR, OX40, CD40L, and CD45RO in 26 patients with active disease, 31 with inactive disease, and 26 healthy controls. TREG cells were defined as CD25+/high CD127 Ø/low FoxP3+, and effector T cells were defined as CD25+CD127+FoxP3 Ø. The ratio of TREG to effector T cells expressing GITR, PD1, HLA-DR, OX40, CD40L, and CD45RO was determined in the three groups. The frequency of TREG cells was similar in patients with SLE and controls. However, SLE patients had a decreased frequency of CTLA-4+TREG and CD28+TREG cells and an increased frequency of CD40L+TREG cells. There was a decrease in the TREG/effector-T ratio for GITR+, HLA-DR+, OX40+, and CD45RO+ cells, and an increased ratio of TREG/effector-T CD40L+ cells in patients with SLE. In addition, CD40L+TREG cell frequency correlated with the SLE disease activity index (P=0.0163). In conclusion, our findings showed several abnormalities in the expression of functionally critical surface molecules in TREG and effector T cells in SLE that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of this disease.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Superfície/metabolismo , Leucócitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/imunologia , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologia , Adulto , Análise de Variância , Antígenos CD28/análise , Ligante de CD40/análise , Antígeno CTLA-4/análise , Feminino , Citometria de Fluxo , Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/análise , Proteína Relacionada a TNFR Induzida por Glucocorticoide/análise , Antígenos HLA-DR/análise , Humanos , Subunidade alfa de Receptor de Interleucina-2/análise , Subunidade alfa de Receptor de Interleucina-7/análise , Antígenos Comuns de Leucócito/análise , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/metabolismo , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Receptor de Morte Celular Programada 1/análise , Receptores OX40/análise , Estatísticas não Paramétricas , Receptor fas/análiseRESUMO
Regulatory T (TREG) cells play an important role in maintaining immune tolerance and avoiding autoimmunity. We analyzed the expression of membrane molecules in TREG and effector T cells in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). TREG and effector T cells were analyzed for the expression of CTLA-4, PD1, CD28, CD95, GITR, HLA-DR, OX40, CD40L, and CD45RO in 26 patients with active disease, 31 with inactive disease, and 26 healthy controls. TREG cells were defined as CD25+/highCD127Ø/lowFoxP3+, and effector T cells were defined as CD25+CD127+FoxP3Ø. The ratio of TREG to effector T cells expressing GITR, PD1, HLA-DR, OX40, CD40L, and CD45RO was determined in the three groups. The frequency of TREG cells was similar in patients with SLE and controls. However, SLE patients had a decreased frequency of CTLA-4+TREG and CD28+TREG cells and an increased frequency of CD40L+TREG cells. There was a decrease in the TREG/effector-T ratio for GITR+, HLA-DR+, OX40+, and CD45RO+ cells, and an increased ratio of TREG/effector-T CD40L+ cells in patients with SLE. In addition, CD40L+TREG cell frequency correlated with the SLE disease activity index (P=0.0163). In conclusion, our findings showed several abnormalities in the expression of functionally critical surface molecules in TREG and effector T cells in SLE that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of this disease.
