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Vol. 20. Issue 9.
Pages 476-483 (November 2024)
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Vol. 20. Issue 9.
Pages 476-483 (November 2024)
Original Article
A detailed quantitative analysis of circulating T peripheral and follicular helper lymphocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus
Análisis cuantitativo detallado de linfocitos T de ayuda periféricos y foliculares en pacientes con artritis reumatoide y lupus eritematoso generalizado
Raquel Sánchez-Gutiérreza,
Corresponding author
rgonzale@uaslp.mx

Corresponding author.
, Marlen Vitales-Noyolaa, Larisa González-Barandaa,b, Diana P. Portales-Péreza, Esther Layseca-Espinosaa,c, Mariana H. García-Hernándezd, Roberto González-Amaroa,c
a Section of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Research Center for Health Sciences and Biomedicine (CICSaB), UASLP, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico
b Division of Internal Medicine, Hospital Central Dr. Ignacio Morones Prieto, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico
c School of Medicine, UASLP, San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico
d Unidad de Investigación Biomédica, IMSS, Zac., Mexico
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Tables (2)
Table 1. Clinical and demographic data of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus included in the study.
Table 2. Comparison of the levels of statistical significance in the flow cytometry analysis of Tfh and Tph cells by using the short and extended phenotypes.
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Abstract
Introduction and objective

Peripheral and follicular helper T lymphocytes (Tph and Tfh, respectively) have an important role in B cell immune responses and the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although several studies on the number of Tph and Tfh cells in these conditions have been published, different phenotypes have been employed for their analysis. In this study, we assessed the levels and function of Tph and Tfh cells in blood samples from patients with RA and SLE by using an extended immunophenotype.

Materials and methods

In a cross-sectional pilot study, blood samples from twenty-seven patients with RA and fifteen with SLE, and twenty-six healthy controls were studied. The levels of Tph (CD4+PD-1+CXCR5CD38+CD69+ICOS+) and Tfh (CD4+PD-1+CXCR5+CD38+CD69+ICOS+) cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, the function of Tph/Tfh cells was estimated by measuring the synthesis of IL-21 by these lymphocytes as well as the number of circulating plasmablasts (CD19+CD27+CD20CD38hi).

Results

Increased percentages of Tph and Tfh lymphocytes were detected in patients with RA and SLE. Furthermore, the synthesis of IL-21 tended to be higher in both conditions, and higher levels of plasmablasts were detected in these patients, compared to controls. In patients with SLE, the number of Tph cells was associated with disease activity and with the levels of circulating plasmablasts, whereas in patients with RA a significant correlation between Tph cells and evolution time was observed.

Discussion and conclusions

Our data of Tph and Tfh lymphocytes, based in the analysis of an extended phenotype of these cells, provides further evidence on their involvement in the pathogenesis of RA and SLE.

Keywords:
T peripheral helper cells
T follicular helper cells
Interleukin-21
Plasmablasts
Autoimmune diseases
Resumen
Antecedentes y objetivo

Los linfocitos T de ayuda foliculares y de ayuda periféricos (Tfh y Tph) tienen un papel importante en la respuesta inmune humoral y la patogenia de la artritis reumatoide (AR) y el lupus eritematoso generalizado (LEG). Aunque se han publicado estudios sobre el número de células Tfh y Tph en sangre venosa periférica de pacientes con AR y LES, esto se ha realizado utilizando diferentes inmunofenotipos. En este estudio se analizó el número y la función de estos linfocitos aplicando un inmunofenotipo extendido.

Material y métodos

En un estudio de casos y controles se incluyeron a 27 pacientes con AR, 15 con LES y 26 controles sanos. Los niveles de células Tph (CD4+PD-1+CXCR5CD38+CD69+ICOS+) y Tfh (CD4+PD-1+CXCR5+CD38+CD69+ICOS+) se analizaron por citometría de flujo. Además, la función de las células Tph/Tfh se estimó mediante el análisis de la producción de IL-21 y los niveles de plasmablastos (CD19+CD27+CD20CD38hi) circulantes.

Resultados

Se encontraron niveles incrementados de células Tfh y Tph en pacientes con AR y LES. Además, los niveles de IL-21 tendieron a ser más elevados en estos pacientes y el número de plasmablastos fue más alto en los mismos. Por otra parte, se encontró en LES una correlación significativa entre el número de células Tph y la actividad de la enfermedad y el número de plasmablastos, mientras que en AR se observó una asociación significativa entre niveles de células Tph y tiempo de evolución de la enfermedad.

Discusión y conclusión

Consideramos que nuestros resultados, basados en un análisis de fenotipo extendido de células Tfh y Tph, apoyan adicionalmente la participación de estas células de ayuda en la patogenia de la AR y el LES.

Palabras clave:
Linfocitos T de ayuda periféricos
Linfocitos T de ayuda foliculares
Interleucina-21
Plasmablastos
Enfermedades autoinmunes

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