Frequency and functional activity of Th17, Tc17 and other T-cell subsets in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

• Published in: Cellular immunology Vol. 264; no. 1; pp. 97 - 103
• Main Authors: Henriques, Ana, Inês, Luís, Couto, Maura, Pedreiro, Susana, Santos, Catarina, Magalhães, Mariana, Santos, Paulo, Velada, Isabel, Almeida, Anabela, Carvalheiro, Tiago, Laranjeira, Paula, Morgado, José Mário, Pais, Maria Luísa, Silva, José António Pereira da, Paiva, Artur
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 2010
• Subjects: Adult; Antigens, CD - biosynthesis; Autoimmune disease; Cell Count; Cell Separation; Cytokines; Female; Flow Cytometry; Forkhead Transcription Factors - biosynthesis; Forkhead Transcription Factors - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Interleukin-17 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-17 - genetics; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - pathology; Male; Regulatory T cells; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; SLE; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - pathology; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - pathology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - pathology; Tc1; Tc17; Th1; Th17; Th2 Cells - immunology; Th2 Cells - metabolism; Th2 Cells - pathology; Transforming Growth Factor beta - biosynthesis; Transforming Growth Factor beta - genetics; Transforming Growth Factor beta - secretion; Tc17; Tc1; Autoimmune disease; Th1; Regulatory T cells; Th17; SLE
• ISSN: 0008-8749; 1090-2163
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2010.05.004

To compare frequency and functional activity of peripheral blood (PB) Th(c)17, Th(c)1 and Treg cells and the amount of type 2 cytokines mRNA we recruited SLE patients in active (
n
=
15) and inactive disease (
n
=
19) and healthy age- and gender-matched controls (
n
=
15). The study of Th(c)17, Th(c)1 and Treg cells was done by flow cytometry and cytokine mRNA by real-time PCR. Compared to NC, SLE patients present an increased proportion of Th(c)17 cells, but with lower amounts of IL-17
per cell and also a decreased frequency of Treg, but with increased production of TGF-β and FoxP3 mRNA. Ιn active compared to inactive SLE, there is a marked decreased in frequency of Th(c)1 cells, an increased production of type 2 cytokines mRNA and a distinct functional profile of Th(c)17 cells. Our findings suggest a functional disequilibrium of T-cell subsets in SLE which may contribute to the inflammatory process and disease pathogenesis.