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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
[Study on ratio imbalance of peripheral blood Th17/Treg cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]
Qian Niu1, Zhuo-chun Huang, Bei Cai
1Clinical Immunological Laboratory, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. niuqian991@126.com
Aim:
To observe the relationship between balance of peripheral blood Th17 cells and Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to clarify the role the ratio imbalance of peripheral blood Th17/Treg cells playing in pathogenesis of RA.
Methods:
The ratio of peripheral blood Th17 cells and Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells in RA patients and healthy subjects were determined by flow cytometry (FCM).
Results:
Compared with healthy controls, the ratio of both CD3(+) CD4(+) T cells and Th17 cells in RA patients increased significantly (P<0.05), while the percentage of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells was markedly lower (P<0.05). With the development of RA activity, the ratio of Th17 cells increased (P<0.05), and the ratio of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells decreased (P>0.05).
Conclusion:
The disorder of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in RA patients characterized by increased CD4(+) T cells. The imbalance between Th17 cells and Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells resulted from increased ratio of Th17 cells and decreased ratio of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells may play a critical role in RA progression.
