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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
Regulatory T cells and TH1/TH2 cytokines as immunodiagnosis keys in systemic autoimmune diseases
Cornel Ursaciuc1, Mihaela Surcel, Dan Ciotaru
1"Victor Babeş" National Institute of Pathology, Dept. Immunology, Bucharest, Romania. imunop@vbabes.ro
Abstract:
We assessed Helper T-cell involvement and possibilities to quantify the cell-based immune response in systemic autoimmune diseases (SAID) in 14 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 7 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The goals of investigation were T-CD4+/T-CD8+ ratio, regulatory T cells (Treg) status and TH1/TH2 serum cytokine profiles (IFN-gamma and IL-2, respectively IL-4 and IL-6). SLE group proved significant decreased average Treg value as compared to RA group and controls and showed significant low Treg incidence (86% patients). The distribution of high T-CD4+/T-CD8+ ratio registered no significant distinction among LES and RA groups. SAID patients presented low serum IFN-gamma (86% RA, 60% SLE), high IL-2 (57% RA) and high IL-6 (53% LES), but no significant IL-4 modification. We conclude that Treg percentage remains the only cellular criterion for SAID immune evaluation. In the same time, different secretion mechanisms seem to be involved in SAID, i.e. TH2 in SLE and TH1 in RA.
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