FOXP3 identifies regulatory CD25bright CD4+ T cells in rheumatic joints

• Regulatory T cells have recently been implicated in a number of human diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. To investigate whether the presence of CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells is a general finding in arthritic joints, synovial fluid of patients with different rheumatic diseases such as undifferentiated arthritides, systemic rheumatic diseases and reactive arthritis were investigated for the presence of such cells. In 95% of the patients, a higher frequency of CD25(bright)CD4+ T cells was found in synovial fluid as compared with peripheral blood. Both in vitro suppression experiments and FOXP3 mRNA analysis confirmed these cells to be natural regulatory T cells. Together with our previous data, we conclude that arthritic joints, irrespective of precise diagnosis and disease duration, are enriched with natural regulatory T cells. These results suggest that suppressor cells migrate to and/or multiply at the sites of inflammation as part of the immune responses' effort to combat injurious inflammation.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Reumatologi och inflammation (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Rheumatology and Autoimmunity (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Adult

Aged

Aged

80 and over

Arthritis/immunology/metabolism/pathology

Arthritis

Reactive/immunology/metabolism/pathology

Arthritis

Rheumatoid/immunology/metabolism/pathology

Cell Movement/immunology

Cells

Cultured

Coculture Techniques

Female

Forkhead Transcription Factors/biosynthesis/genetics/*metabolism

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Receptors

Interleukin-2/*biosynthesis

Rheumatic Diseases/*immunology/metabolism/pathology

Spondylitis

Ankylosing/immunology/metabolism/pathology

Synovial Fluid/cytology/*immunology/metabolism

T-Lymphocytes

Regulatory/*immunology/*metabolism/pathology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)