The Pathogenic And Clinical Roles Of CD4～+CD25～+ Regulatory T Cells And Relevant Cytokines In Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective To investigate the proportions of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and CD4+CD25highT cells in peripheral blood CD4+T cells, and the levels of cytokines (IL-4,IFN-γ,IL-10,IL-12 and TGF-β)in systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), then to explore the role of regulatory T cells in the pathogenesis of SLE.Methods Fifty four SLE patients (including thirty one Recent-onset SLE patients and twenty three treated SLE patients) and twenty normal controls were selected. Clinical data and blood were collected and sandwich ELISA was employed for cytokines of IL-4,IFN-γ,IL-10,IL-12 and TGF-βin blood serum. Flow cytometric analysis was employed for the proportions of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and CD4+CD25highT cells in CD4+T cells in the peripheral blood of SLE(n=54) and healthy volunteers(n=20).The interaction and association between the proportions of peripheral blood regulatory T cells and the levels of cytokines,with SLE organ damage were analyzed.Results 1.The proportions of CD4+CD25highT cells in SLE was lower than that in healthy controls(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between CD4+CD25+T cells and that in controls(P>0.05).The levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-10,IL-12 and the IL-4/IFN-γration in SLE group were higher than those in healthy controls(P<0.01).The levels of TGF-βration in SLE group was lower than those in healthy controls(P<0.01). 2.The proportions of CD4+CD25+T cells and CD4+CD25highT cells in recent-onset SLE were significantly lower than those in healthy controls(P<0.05,P<0.01).There was no significant difference between CD4+CD25+T cells and that in treated patients(P>0.05).The proportions of CD4+CD25highT cells in patients with anti ds-DNA(+) antibody SLE group was lower than healthy controls(P<0.05). The levels of IL-4,IFN-γ,IL-10 and IL-12 in recent-onset SLE were higher than those in healthy controls(P<0.01). The levels of IL-4,IL-10,IL-12 in treated SLE were higher than those in healthy controls(P<0.01). The level of TGF-βin recent-onset SLE and treated SLE were significantly lower than that from normal controls(P<0.01). The levels of IFN-γand IL-10 in recent-onset SLE was higher than those in treated SLE(P<0.05). There was no significant difference of IL-4,IL-12 and TGF-βbetween recent-onset SLE and that in treated SLE (P>0.05). 3.Bivariate correlation analysis indicated that CD4+CD25highT cells is negatively correlated with IL-12(r=-0.195,P<0.05).The proportions of CD4+CD25highT cells in recent-onset SLE is negtively correlated with IL-10 and IL-12(r=-0.238,P<0.05;r=-0.242,P<0.05).When IL-4 was taken as the controls variable, CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells was positively correlated with the IL-4/IFN-γratio(r=0.241,P=0.040). The proportions of CD4+CD25+T cells in SLE is negtively correlated with anti-C1q(r=-0.323,P=0.031).Conclusion The proportions of CD4+CD25+T cells and CD4+CD25highT cells are decreased in serum of SLE,The levels of IL-4,IFN-γ,IL-10,IL-12 and IL-4/IFN-γratio are increased while lower TGF-βthan those in normal controls in SLE. The Th1,Th2 and Th3 might participate in the pathogenesis of SLE.The regulatory T cells possibly play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE and in the Th1/Th2 balance.It has great importance to combined detection of IL-4,IFN-γ,IL-10,IL-12,TGF-βand the proportions of CD4+CD25+T cells and CD4+CD25highT cells in CD4+T cells in the peripheral blood of SLE for evaluation the immunity disturbance,the damage of organs and the disease activity.