Peripheral regulatory T cells and anti-inflammatory cytokines in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Acta Biochim Pol. 2018;65(1):119-123. doi: 10.18388/abp.2017_2308. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

Abstract

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic, heterogenous inflammatory disease of unclear pathogenesis. JIA is hypothesized to be linked to a defective immune regulation. Anti-inflammatory cytokines belong to the best known regulatory factors. T-regulatory cells are a crucial cellular component of immune tolerance. One of their functions is synthesis of interleukin 10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1). The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of T-regulatory cells (CD4+CD25highFOXP3+) in peripheral blood, and serum levels of TGF-β1 and IL-10 in patients with JIA.

Methods: The study included 25 patients with newly diagnosed JIA: oligoarthritis (n=17) and polyarthritis (n=8). The control group was comprised of 17 healthy children. CD4+CD25highFOXP3+ T cells in peripheral blood were quantified by means of three-color flow cytometry. Serum concentrations of TGF-β1 and IL-10 were estimated with ELISA.

Results: The proportion of peripheral CD4+CD25highFOXP3+ cells in patients with JIA was significantly higher than in the controls (p=0.04). The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of their TGF-β1 and IL-10 concentrations.

Conclusions: At the time of diagnosis, children with JIA presented with an elevated proportion of T-regulatory cells (CD4+CD25highFOXP3+) in peripheral blood. Anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-10 and TGF-β1, are not upregulated in the serum of patients with JIA, and therefore should not be considered as biomarkers of this condition.

Keywords: IL-10; TGF-β1; Tregs; juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Arthritis, Juvenile / blood*
  • Arthritis, Juvenile / diagnosis
  • Biomarkers
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Count
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10 / blood*
  • Male
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / pathology*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / blood*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • IL10 protein, human
  • TGFB1 protein, human
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Interleukin-10