Co-stimulation modulation improves Rheumatoid Arthritis despite reducing the proportion of CD4+CD25high T regulatory cells

Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology

ARTICLE

Charalampos Papagoras¹  Theodora E. Markatseli¹  Assimina Petsiou²  Achilleas Karamoutsios²  Alexandros A. Drosos¹ 

[1] Rheumatology Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina;Hematology Laboratory, Unit of Molecular Biology, University Hospital of Ioannina

关键词: Rheumatoid arthritis;    Regulatory T cells;    Abatacept;    CTLA-4;   

DOI  :  10.31138/mjr.27.1.15

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: PCO Convin S.A.

【 摘 要 】

Objective/Aims: Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is constitutively expressed on the surface of regulatory T cells (Treg), although its function in this context remains unclear. Abatacept, a soluble CTLA-4·Ig construct is a co-stimulation modulator that is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We studied the effects of abatacept on peripheral blood Treg cell population in RA patients starting abatacept therapy. Material and Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from 8 RA patients before the first and fifth abatacept infusion and from 8 healthy volunteers. The percentage of Treg cells (CD4+CD25highCD127-/low) was measured by flow cytometry. Results: Initially, patients had a mean percentage of Treg cells 2.7%, which was similar to that of controls (3.25%, p=0.495). The baseline mean DAS28 was 4.87, whereas by the fifth infusion it had decreased to 3.3 (p=0.017). By the fifth infusion the mean percentage of Treg cells had also decreased to 1.15%, which was lower compared to baseline (p=0.012). The difference of Treg percentage between both time points positively correlated with the difference in the swollen joint count (r=0.856, p=0.007). Conclusion: Abatacept significantly improved disease activity, but also decreased the percentage of Treg cells among the peripheral CD4+ T cells.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC