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Updated: May 29, 2026

Isolation and Th17 Differentiation of Naïve CD4 T Lymphocytes
Published on: September 26, 2013
T-helper cells as new players in ANCA-associated vasculitides
Wayel H Abdulahad1, Peter Lamprecht, Cees G M Kallenberg
1Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. w.abdulahad@int.umcg.nl
Abstract:
In anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitides (AAV), several observations support a key role of T-helper cells (CD4(+) T cells) in disease pathophysiology. An expanded population of effector memory CD4(+) T cells in AAV patients may contribute to tissue injury and disease progression. In addition, functional impairment of regulatory T cells (T(Regs)) is reported in AAV patients. A fraction of T(Regs) have the capacity to differentiate into Th17 cells in the context of a proinflammatory environment. Therefore, nonfunctionality of T(Regs) described in AAV patients may be caused by their conversion into IL-17-producing cells that may contribute to granulomatous vasculitis. Further investigations directed at the plasticity of T(Regs) in AAV patients are warranted.
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