Open Access

T‑regulatory cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis retain suppressor functions in vitro

  • Authors:
    • Daniil Shevyrev
    • Valeriy Tereshchenko
    • Vladimir Kozlov
    • Alexey Sizikov
    • Oksana Chumasova
    • Veroniсa Koksharova
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: January 14, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9641
  • Article Number: 209
  • Copyright: © Shevyrev et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease of connective tissue caused by intolerance to self‑antigens. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key players in maintaining autotolerance through a variety of suppressor mechanisms. RA is generally believed to develop due to disorders in Tregs; however, there is no consensus on this issue. Thus, the present study focused on phenotypical analysis of Treg cells and their ability to suppress CD4+ and CD8+ cell proliferation. The present study used peripheral blood samples from 21 patients with RA and 22 healthy donors. The CD25+FoxP3+ subpopulation of Tregs was analyzed using flow cytometry to evaluate the expression of CTLA‑4, PD‑L1, HLA‑DR, CCR4, CD86 and RORyt. Tregs suppressor activity was calculated in terms of suppression of the proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in vitro. Suppressor activity of the total Treg population did not differ between patients with RA and healthy donors. However, the patients had elevated CD25loFoxP3+ levels and lower CD25hiFoxP3+ levels; in addition, they had more activated Tregs expressing PD‑L1, HLA‑DR, CCR4 and CD86. The surface expression of CTLA‑4 was below the reference level. The patients also had transitional FoxP3+RORyt+ cells and elevated CD4+RORyt+ levels, which were highly correlated with disease activity. These results show that in RA, Treg cells are activated and have an immunosuppressive activity. However, it is the transitional FoxP3+RORyt+ cells and increased CD4+RORyt+ percentages in peripheral blood that appear to be associated with the pathological conversion of some Treg cells into Th‑17. This process appears to be key in RA pathogenesis.
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March-2021
Volume 21 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
Online ISSN:1792-1015

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Spandidos Publications style
Shevyrev D, Tereshchenko V, Kozlov V, Sizikov A, Chumasova O and Koksharova V: T‑regulatory cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis retain suppressor functions <em>in vitro</em>. Exp Ther Med 21: 209, 2021.
APA
Shevyrev, D., Tereshchenko, V., Kozlov, V., Sizikov, A., Chumasova, O., & Koksharova, V. (2021). T‑regulatory cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis retain suppressor functions <em>in vitro</em>. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 21, 209. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9641
MLA
Shevyrev, D., Tereshchenko, V., Kozlov, V., Sizikov, A., Chumasova, O., Koksharova, V."T‑regulatory cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis retain suppressor functions <em>in vitro</em>". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 21.3 (2021): 209.
Chicago
Shevyrev, D., Tereshchenko, V., Kozlov, V., Sizikov, A., Chumasova, O., Koksharova, V."T‑regulatory cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis retain suppressor functions <em>in vitro</em>". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 21, no. 3 (2021): 209. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9641