Expression of FOXP3 in CD4 + CD39 + T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and dynamic observation of treatment with glucocorticoid

Dong Mei Li, Xiang Pei Li, Xiao Mei Li, Guo Sheng Wang, Yan Ma, Shu Shan Zhao, Song Guo Zheng

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the level of FOXP3 expressed in CD4 + CD39 + T cells in peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and observe the regulation of glucocorticoid on it. Methods: Frequencies of CD4 + CD25 + CD39 + , CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + and CD4 + CD39 + FOXP3 + T cells and levels of FOXP3 protein were analyzed by flow cytometry of 47 SLE patients (including 29 untreated/active SLE) and 22 healthy controls. Meanwhile, correlations among three groups and influences of glucocorticoid were analyzed. Results: Percents of CD4 + CD25 + CD39 + T cells expressed in active SLE, inactive SLE and healthy controls were (1.3 ± 0.5)%, (1.9 ± 0.8)% and (2.3 ± 1.0)% respectively, the level decreased in active SLE compared with inactive SLE and healthy controls P < 0.05 in each group, but it had no significant difference between the latter two groups (P > 0.05). In active SLE, levels of FOXP3 protein expressed in CD4 + CD25 + , CD4 + CD25 high and CD4 + CD39 + T cells were (45 ± 12)%, (65 ± 14)% and (70 ± 14)% respectively. Levels of FOXP3 expressed in CD4 + CD25 high and CD4 + CD39 + T cells were higher than that expressed in CD4 + CD25 + T cells (P < 0.01), while it had no significant difference between CD4 + CD25 high T cells and CD4 + CD39 + T cells (P > 0.05). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that CD39 may be a better surface marker of regulatory T cells, and that deficiency of CD39 + Treg cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1636-1638
Number of pages3
JournalNational Medical Journal of China
Volume89
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 16 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Medicine(all)

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