Circulating regulatory T cells in adult-onset Still's disease: focusing on their plasticity and stability

Clin Exp Immunol. 2021 Jul 28. doi: 10.1111/cei.13648. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTWe investigated the characteristics of regulatory T cells in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD), with a focus on their plasticity, stability, and relationship with disease severity. The proportion of circulating CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ cells (Tregs) and intracellular expression of effector cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-17, and IL-4, were analysed in 27 untreated patients with AOSD (acute AOSD), 11 of the 27 patients after remission, and 16 healthy controls (HC) using flow cytometry. The suppressive ability of Tregs was also evaluated. Regression analyses of the results were performed. The proportion of Tregs was significantly lower in patients with acute AOSD than in the HC. The expression levels of IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-4 in Tregs were significantly increased in patients with acute AOSD. IFN-γ and IL-4 expression levels were inversely correlated with the proportion of Tregs and positively correlated with serum ferritin levels. Decreased expression of FoxP3 in CD4+CD25+ cells, which was correlated with increased expression of IL-17, and impaired suppressive function were observed in Tregs in acute AOSD. However, these aberrant findings in Tregs, including the reduced circulating proportion and functional ability, and altered intracellular expression levels of cytokines and FoxP3, were significantly improved after remission. In acute AOSD, Tregs show plastic changes, incl...
Source: Clinical and Developmental Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Source Type: research