The Expression And Its Significance Of T Cell Immunoglobulin Domain And Mucin Domain-3 And Its Ligand Galectin-9 In The Peripheral Blood Of Initial Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-3 (TIM-3) and its ligand Galectin-9 in the peripheral blood of initial systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) patients, and explore their potential effects on SLE.MethodsThe percentages of CD4+TIM-3+,CD8+TIM-3+ cells from 33 SLE patients (30 females, 3 males, fulfilling the American college of Rheumatology classification criteria of SLE in 1997) and 26 healthy controls (24 females,3 males) were detected by FCM. The Galectin-9 gene expression of PBMCs was determined by Real-Time PCR. Evaluated the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI),serum C3 level and lymphocyte count of SLE group. Use SPSS17.0 statistical software for statistical analysis.Results1. The percentage of CD4+TIM-3+ cells in SLE group was 8.636±12.413, while the control group was 2.423±2.153. There was significant difference between the two groups, P<0.01. The percentage of CD8+TIM-3+cells in SLE group was 29.780±24.401, while the control group was 12.538±9.493. There was significant difference between the two groups, P<0.01.2. For the SLE group, the CD4+TIM-3-level had a positive correlation with SLEDAI, r=0.517,P<0.01; a negative correlation with C3, r=-0.487, P<0.05. The CD8TIM-3- level had a positive correlation with SLEDAI, r=0.400, P<0.05: a negative correlation with C3, r=-0.395, P<0.05.3. The relative expression of Galectin-9mRNA in SLE group was 2.156, higher than the control group 1.000. The difference was statistically significant, P<0.05.ConclusionThe expression of TIM-3 and its ligand Galecin-9 were obviously increased in initial SLE paticents. TIM-3-Galectin-9 pathway may be involved in the T cell immune regulation of SLE, and related to the disease activity. TIM-3 may be an useful marker for SLE diagnosis and disease activity.