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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
Synovial fluid-derived T helper 17 cells correlate with inflammatory activity in arthritis, irrespectively of
Gaetano Zizzo1, Maria De Santis, Silvia Laura Bosello
1Department of Rheumatology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, CIC, Via Moscati 31, 00168, Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
We analyzed peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) mononuclear cells from 16 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 9 spondyloarthritis (SpA), 3 microcrystal arthritis patients, to define the presence of Th17 and Th1 and their relationship with inflammatory activity, and TCR-zeta chain and ZAP-70 levels. Th17 were significantly higher in SF than in PB and more abundant in microcrystal arthritis patients compared to the other groups. Irrespectively of the diagnosis, SF Th17 percentages correlated with joint (SF total leukocyte count, neutrophil percentage) and systemic (C reactive protein [CRP], fibrinogen, erythrocyte sedimentation rate) inflammation markers. SF Th1 percentages directly correlated with inflammation and disease activity (CRP, swollen joint count [SJC]) indices in SpA, but not in RA patients. These observations support the role of Th17 in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritides. The TCR-zeta(dim) lymphocytes in SF were found to produce the highest amounts of cytokines including IL-17, whereas no ZAP-70 impairment was associated to Th17.
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