Study on ratio imbalance of peripheral blood Th17/Treg cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: To observe the relationship between balance of peripheral blood Th17 cells and Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to clarify the role the ratio imbalance of peripheral blood Th17/Treg cells playing in pathogenesis of RA.

Methods: The ratio of peripheral blood Th17 cells and Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells in RA patients and healthy subjects were determined by flow cytometry (FCM).

Results: Compared with healthy controls, the ratio of both CD3(+) CD4(+) T cells and Th17 cells in RA patients increased significantly (P<0.05), while the percentage of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells was markedly lower (P<0.05). With the development of RA activity, the ratio of Th17 cells increased (P<0.05), and the ratio of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells decreased (P>0.05).

Conclusions: The disorder of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in RA patients characterized by increased CD4(+) T cells. The imbalance between Th17 cells and Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells resulted from increased ratio of Th17 cells and decreased ratio of Foxp3(+) CD4(+) CD25(+) Treg cells may play a critical role in RA progression.