TY - JOUR T1 - Follicular Helper T Cells in Peripheral Blood of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis JO - Reumatología Clínica (English Edition) T2 - AU - Costantino,Alicia Beatriz AU - del Valle Acosta,Cristina AU - Onetti,Laura AU - Mussano,Eduardo AU - Cadile,Ignacio Isaac AU - Ferrero,Paola Virginia SN - 21735743 M3 - 10.1016/j.reumae.2016.07.011 DO - 10.1016/j.reumae.2016.07.011 UR - https://reumatologiaclinica.org/en-follicular-helper-t-cells-in-articulo-S2173574317301156 AB - IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by the presence of different autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. CD4 T cells expressing CXCR5, referred as follicular helper T cells (Tfh), collaborate with B cells to produce antibodies. Differential expression of CXCR3 and CCR6 within CD4+CXCR5+ T cells defines three mayor subsets: CXCR3+CCR6− (Tfh1), CXCR3−CCR6− (Tfh2) and CXCR3−CCR6+ (Tfh17). The aim of the study was to assess whether there is an association between the percentage of these cells and RA and whether there is a correlation with disease activity. Material and methodsTwenty-four RA patients, 22 healthy controls (HC) and 16 undifferentiated arthritis (UA) patients were included. Percentage of CD4+CXCR5+ T cells and their subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. ResultsNo differences were found in the percentages of CD4+CXCR5+ T cells in the comparison of RA vs HC or RA vs UA patients. Tfh1, Tfh2 and Tfh17 subsets showed no differences either. There was no correlation between CD4+CXCR5+ T cells, Tfh1, Tfh2 and Tfh17, and Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Surprisingly, there was a positive correlation between Tfh17 cells and C-reactive protein. Finally, there was no correlation between CD4+CXCR5+ T cells, or their subsets, and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin, or between the cells and RF. ConclusionThere were no differences between the percentages of CD4+CXCR5+ T cells and their subsets in peripheral blood of RA patients and the percentages of cells in the control groups. This finding does not rule out a pathogenic role of these cells in the development and activity of RA. ER -