Frequency and Phenotype of T Helper 17 Cells in Peripheral Blood and Synovial Fluid of Patients with Reactive Arthritis

• Published in: Journal of rheumatology Vol. 37; no. 10; pp. 2096 - 2099
• Main Authors: HUI SHEN, GOODALL, Jane C, GASTON, J. S. Hill
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Toronto, ON Journal of Rheumatology Publishing 01-10-2010
• Subjects: Arthritis, Reactive - blood; Arthritis, Reactive - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Diseases of the spine; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Interleukin-17 - immunology; Medical sciences; Phenotype; Synovial Fluid - cytology; Synovial Fluid - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; Human; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Reactive arthritis; Rheumatology; Interleukin 22; Helper cell; Inflammatory joint disease; Interleukin 17; Blood; Spondylarthropathy; Synovial fluid; Chronic; Phenotype; T HELPER 17; Immunological investigation; T-Lymphocyte
• ISSN: 0315-162X; 1499-2752
• DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.100146

To analyze the frequency and phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and synovial fluid mononuclear cell (SFMC) T helper (Th)17 cells in reactive arthritis (ReA).
T cell surface phenotype and cytokine production were measured following stimulation, using 8-color flow cytometry.
The percentages of interleukin 17 (IL-17)-positive CD4+ T cells were increased in SFMC of patients with ReA compared with PBMC. All IL-17+ cells were CD4+CD45RO+; in SFMC most expressed CCR6, but only 50% expressed CCR4. IL-17+ cells sometimes coexpressed IL-22 and/or interferon-γ, but not IL-10.
These data support the hypothesis that Th17 cells are involved in ReA pathogenesis.