Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cytokine imbalance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients: Correlation with disease activity.

Imbalance of T-helper-cell (TH) subsets (TH1/TH2/TH17) and regulatory T-cells (Tregs) is suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, we evaluated their cytokine secretion profile in SLE patients and their possible association with disease activity. Sixty SLE patients, 24 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 24 healthy volunteers were included in this study. Demographic, clinical, disease activity and serological data were prospectively assessed. Plasma cytokines levels of TH1 (IL-12, IFN-γ), TH2 (IL-4, IL-6, IL-10), TH17 (IL-17, IL-23) and Treg (IL-10 and TGF-β) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). SLE patients were found to have significantly higher levels of IL-17 (p<0.001), IL-6 (p<0.01), IL-12 (p<0.001) and IL-10 (p<0.05) but comparable levels of IL-23 and IL-4 and slight reduction (but statistically insignificant) of TGF-β levels compared to controls. IL-6, IL-10 and IL-17 were significantly increased (p<0.05) with disease activity. The RA group exhibited significantly higher levels of plasma IL-4 (p<0.01), IL-6 (p<0.05), IL-17 (p<0.001), IL-23 (p<0.01) and TGF-β (p<0.5) and lower IFN-γ (p<0.001) and IL-10 (p<0.01) than those of healthy subjects. Our study showed a distinct profile of cytokine imbalance in SLE patients. Reduction in IFN-γ (TH1) and TGF-β1 (Treg) with the elevation in IL-6 and IL-17 (TH17) could imply skewing of T-cells toward TH17 cells. Breaking TH17/Treg balance in peripheral blood may play an important role in the development of SLE and could be responsible for an increased pro-inflammatory response especially in the active form of the disease.

Talaat RM ，Mohamed SF ，Bassyouni IH ，Raouf AA ... -  《-》

Th1 and Th17 Predominance in the Enthesitis-related Arthritis Form of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Mahendra A ，Misra R ，Aggarwal A 《JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY》

Disturbed Th1, Th2, Th17 and T(reg) balance in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease accompanied by disturbed T-cell homeostasis. Dysbalance of T-helper-cell (Th) subsets (Th1/Th2/Th17) and regulatory T-cells (T(regs)) is suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE. Recent reports suggest functional deviation of T(regs) in terms of producing IL-17A, a process that may be aberrant in SLE. Therefore, we analyzed these T-cell subsets in SLE to test the hypothesis that aberrant T-cell subset skewing is present in SLE-patients. We investigated simultaneously the intracellular cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-17A in CD4(+)T-cells as well as in T(regs). Skewing of T-cell subsets towards Th17 cells was observed in SLE-patients. Although the proportion of T(regs) was similar between SLE-patients and healthy controls, the ability of T(regs) to express IFN-γ and IL17A was impaired in SLE-patients. Even in quiescent SLE-patients T-cell homeostasis is aberrant in terms of skewing towards IL-17 producing T-cells.

Dolff S ，Bijl M ，Huitema MG ，Limburg PC ，Kallenberg CG ，Abdulahad WH ... -  《-》

Cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus: far beyond Th1/Th2 dualism lupus: cytokine profiles.

Guimarães PM ，Scavuzzi BM ，Stadtlober NP ，Franchi Santos LFDR ，Lozovoy MAB ，Iriyoda TMV ，Costa NT ，Reiche EMV ，Maes M ，Dichi I ，Simão ANC ... -  《-》

The relation of interleukin 17 (IL-17) and IL-23 to Th1/Th2 cytokines and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Mok MY ，Wu HJ ，Lo Y ，Lau CS ... -  《-》