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Objective:To investigate the effect of interleukin (IL)-7 receptor α (IL-7Rα) antibody on the immune inflammation and renal injury in MRL/lpr lupus mice.Methods:Fifteen 3-4-week-old female MRL/lpr lupus mice (specific pathogen free) weighing 15-16 g were bred to 14-week-old and randomly divided into three groups: IL-7Rα antibody intervention group, isotype antibody (positive control) group and normal saline (negative control) group. The mice in the threc groups were intraperitoneally injected with IL-7Rα antibody, isotype antibody and normal saline respectively, with 100 μg three times a week for 4 weeks. At the age of 18-week old, the mice were sacrificed. Twenty-four-hour urinary protein was detected by Coomassie brilliant blue method, serum creatinine was detected by peroxidase method, and the expression of autoantibody (anti-double strand DNA antibody) and inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-21 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Renal pathology was detected by PAS and Sirius red staining, and CD3 and F4/80 in renal tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry method. Regulatory T cells, follicullar helper T cells (Tfh) and follicular regulatory T cells (Tfr) were detected by flow cytometry.Results:The 24-hour urinary protein, serum creatinine, serum anti-double strand DNA antibody and serum IFN-γ and IL-21 in the IL-7Rα antibody intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control groups (all P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in serum TNF-α among the three groups ( F=0.39, P>0.05). The positive infiltrating cells of CD3 and F4/F80, and the ratio of type Ⅰ/Ⅲ collagen fibers ( F=41.11, P<0.01) of renal tissues in the IL-7Rα antibody intervention group were lower than those in the other two groups. Compared with the control groups, the ratio of regulatory T cells (CD4 +CD25 +Foxp3 +)/effector T cells (CD4 +CD25 +) in blood of IL-7Rα antibody intervention group increased ( F=21.64, P<0.01), while the ratio of Tfr (CD4 +CXCR5 +Foxp3 +)/Tfh (CD4 +CXCR5 +) in peripheral blood and spleen increased ( F=38.95, P<0.01; F=12.90, P<0.01). Conclusion:IL-7Rα antibody can reduce the production of autoantibodies such as anti-double strand DNA antibody and inflammatory factors by increasing the ratio of regulatory T cells and Tfr/Tfh, thus alleviating immune inflammation and renal damage in MRL/lpr lupus mice.
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Follicular helper T （Tfh） cells are a newly discovered subset of CD4+ T cells. As reported， abnormalities in their development， differentiation， and function are closely related to the occurrence of autoimmune diseases. Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease and it is intractable with a prolonged course. At present， it is generally believed that immune imbalance mediated by T cells is the core mechanism of the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In the context of this mechanism， Tfh cells are associated with psoriasis， and their cellular level and abnormal expression of related candidates can promote the occurrence of psoriasis. In terms of treatment， Chinese medicine， by virtue of the characteristics of wide application and low price， serves as a good complementary and alternative treatment option for psoriasis. As confirmed by previous findings， some active ingredients or preparations of Chinese medicine used in the treatment of psoriasis can also intervene in and regulate the immune response mediated by Tfh cells and the related candidates. Based on the research reports and experimental data， the present study reviewed the research progress from the differentiation of Tfh cells， the relationship between Tfh cells and psoriasis， and the intervention and regulation of Tfh cells and related molecules by Chinese medicine， which is expected to provide certain theoretical support and references for the determination of new strategies for psoriasis treatment and research in related fields.
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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global public health problem. Persistent HBV infection is prone to develop chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and CHB is closely related to the development of liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. High-affinity specific anti-HBs are essential for the control of HBV infection, while the antibody production is closely related to follicular helper T (Tfh) cells. Tfh cells can help B cells differentiate into plasma cells to produce specific antibodies to control virus infection. This article reviews the latest research progress of Tfh cells in HBV infection to provide information of new strategies for the prevention and treatment of HBV.
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OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the therapeutic effect of gene silencing peptidyl arginine deaminase 4 (PAD4) on pulmonary interstitial lesions induced by collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice, and possible mechanisms.@*METHODS@#A CIA mouse model was established in DBA/1 mice, followed by a tail vein injection of the virus solution prepared by the PAD4-siRNA expression vector once a week for 8 times. The mice were sacrificed at the end of the experiment. The expression of PAD4 mRNA in lungs was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of PAD4 protein was detected by tissue immunohistochemistry. Cell culture was performed by spleen tissue. Flow cytometry changes in the ratio of Tfh cells to Tfr cells were examined; lung staining was performed in the lungs to observe changes in lung pathology.@*RESULTS@#(1) Compared with the blank group, the expression of PAD4 mRNA in the lung tissue of the model group increased, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). PAD4 mRNA in the lung tissue of the CIA mice after PAD4-siRNA treatment. The expression level was significantly lower than that of the model group and the negative control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). (2) Red fluorescence was less in the lung tissue of the blank group, while more red fluorescence was observed in the inflammatory cell infiltration area and trachea around the lung tissue of the model group and the negative control group, and the red fluorescence of the three groups after PAD4-siRNA treatment was significantly reduced; (3) Compared with the blank group, the proportion of Tfh cells in the model group increased, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05), the proportion of Tfh cells in spleen cells of the CIA mice after PAD4-siRNA treatment was significantly lower than that of the model group and the negative control group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); compared with the blank group, in the mouse spleen cells in the model group the proportion of Tfr cells was slightly decreased, but the difference was not statistically signifi-cant. The proportion of Tfr cells in the spleen cells of the mice increased after PAD4-siRNA treatment, but the difference was statistically significant only in the PAD4-siRNA2 group compared with the model group and the negative control group (P < 0.05); (4) The proportion of Tfh/Tfr in the spleen cells of the model group was increased, compared with the blank group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); the ratio of Tfh/Tfr in the three groups after PAD4-siRNA treatment all decreased, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05); (5) Compared with the blank group, the alveolar wall of the lung tissue of the model group was thickened, the inflammatory cell infiltration was increased, and the lung tissue destruction and inflammatory infiltration of the CIA mice were decreased after PAD4-siRNA treatment. The degree of reduction was reduced.@*CONCLUSION@#Gene silencing of PAD4 can reduce the proportion of Tfh cells, increase the proportion of Tfr cells, reverse the proportion of Tfh/Tfr, and reduce the degree of interstitial lesions and inflammatory infiltration of lung tissue.
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Animals , Mice , Arginine , Arthritis, Experimental/therapy , Gene Silencing , Lung , Mice, Inbred DBAABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the role of follicular helper T(Tfh) cells and galactose deficiency IgA 1(Gd-IgA 1) in the children that were suffering from Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura(HSP) and Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura nephritis(HSPN)and the correlation between them. Methods:According to the presence or absence of renal injury, 62 children with HSP were divided into HSP group with 32 children and HSPN group with 30 children.Twenty children who underwent physical examination at outpatients were known as the healthy control group.Flow cytometry was used to measure the proportion of Tfh(CD4 + CXCR5 + PD-1 + ) in peripheral blood.Immunoturbidimetry and ELISA were used to measure the serum levels of IgA 1 and Gd-IgA 1 respectively. Results:(1) The proportion of Tfh cells in peripheral blood and the serum levels of Gd-IgA 1 in both HSP group and HSPN group had significantly increased than those in healthy control group( P<0.01). Compared result of the HSPN group with HSP group, the proportion of Tfh cells in peripheral blood and the serum levels of Gd-IgA 1 in HSPN group were higher than that in HSP group( P<0.05). (2) In the HSPN group, the proportion of peripheral blood Tfh cells and the serum levels of Gd-IgA 1 in group of renal pathology ≥ grade Ⅲ and heavy proteinuria were significantly elevated compared with group of renal pathology < grade Ⅲ and non-heavy proteinuria(<0.01). (3) In the healthy control group, the serum levels of Gd-IgA 1 was positively correlated with the proportion of Tfh cells in peripheral blood and the serum levels of Gd-IgA 1( P<0.05). Conversely, a non-positive correlation was shown in HSP and HSPN groups( P>0.05). Conclusion:The excessive activation of Tfh cells and the serum levels of Gd-IgA 1 may be one of the pathogenesis of HSP/HSPN, the degree of increment of the two factors may be related to the activity and severity of the disease.The mechanism of Tfh cells potentially leading to an increase of Gd-IgA 1 production requires further study.
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Objective To detect the expression of follicuLar helper T cells (Tfh) and interleukin-21 (IL-21) in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatic echinococcosis and healthy controls, so as to explore the associations of Tfh and IL-21 expression with the progression of hepatic echinococcosis. Methods Fifty cases of hepatic echinococcosis and healthy controls were collected from Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of Tfh cells in the peripheral blood of hepatic echinococcosis patients and healthy controls, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum IL-21 expression in hepatic echinococcosis patients and healthy controls. The correlation between Tfh cell expression and serum IL-21 level was examined in the patients with hepatic echinococcosis. Results Flow cytometry detected a higher percentage of CD4+CXCR5+ T cells (18.49% ± 5.67% vs. 16.18% ± 4.04%, P < 0.05), CD4+CXCR5+PD-1+ T cells (4.94% ± 1.91% vs. 2.29% ± 0.79%, P < 0.05) and CD4+CXCR5+ICOS+PD-1+ T cells (30.93% ± 24.10% vs. 21.07% ± 14.25%, P < 0.05) in hepatic echinococcosis patients than in healthy controls, and no significant difference was seen in the percentage of CD4+CRCR5+ICOS+ T cells between the patients and controls (0.29% ± 0.32% vs. 0.25% ± 0.31%, P > 0.05) . The serum IL-21 level was significantly higher in the patients with hepatic echinococcosis than in healthy controls ([ 293.35 ± 2 03.65) pg/mL vs. (192.72 ± 70.09) pg/mL, P < 0.05]; however, there was no correlation between the Tfh cell expression and serum IL-21 level in patients with hepatic echinococcosis (P > 0.05). Conclusion The expression of peripheral blood Tfh cells and serum IL-21 is elevated in patients with hepatic echinococcosis, and Tfh cells and IL-21 may contribute to the progression of hepatic echinococcosis.
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Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a prototypical antibody-mediated neurological autoimmune disease with the involvement of humoral immune responses in its pathogenesis. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells have been implicated in many autoimmune diseases. However, whether and how Tfh cells are involved in MG remain unclear. Here, we established and studied a widely-used and approved animal model of human MG, the rat model with acetylcholine receptor alpha (AChRα) subunit (R-AChR)-induced experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). This model presented mild body-weight loss 10 days after the first immunization (representing the early stage of disease) and more obvious clinical manifestations and body-weight loss 7 days after the second immunization (representing the late stage of disease). AChR-specific pre-Tfh cells and mature Tfh cells were detected in these two stages, respectively. In co-cultures of Tfh cells and B cells, the number of IgG2b-secreting B cells and the level of anti-AChR antibodies in the supernatant were higher in the cultures containing EAMG-derived Tfh cells. In immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays, a substantial number of CD4/Bcl-6 T cells and a greater number of larger germinal centers were observed in lymph node tissues resected from EAMG rats. Based on these results, we hypothesize that an AChR-specific Tfh cell-mediated humoral immune response contributes to the development of EAMG.
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Animals , Female , B-Lymphocytes , Allergy and Immunology , Disease Models, Animal , Immunity, Humoral , Lymph Nodes , Allergy and Immunology , Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental , Allergy and Immunology , Protein Subunits , Allergy and Immunology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6 , Allergy and Immunology , Rats, Inbred Lew , Receptor Cross-Talk , Receptors, Cholinergic , Allergy and Immunology , T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer , Allergy and ImmunologyABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of baicalin on lupus nephritis in a lupusprone mouse model,and to investigate its regulatory role in the differentiation of follicular helper T (Tfh)cells.Methods Eight 12-week-old female MRL/lpr lupus-prone mice were randomly and equally divided into two groups by a random number table i.e.,baicalin group and control group intraperitoneally injected with 200 mg/kg baicalin sodium and chloride physiological solution,respectively,once every day for 4 weeks.After the end of treatment,Coomassie brilliant blue staining was performed to detect the level of 24-hour urine protein.Then,the mice were sacrificed,and the spleens were resected and weighed.Mononuclear cells were isolated from these spleens,and flow cytometry was conducted to determine the proportion of Tfh cells.Additionally,the kidneys were resected and subjected to hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining for the evaluation of kidney impairment.Moreover,some other mononuclear cells were isolated from the spleens of the lupus-prone mice in the control group,and magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) was performed to isolate naive CD4+ T cells,which were divided into 3 groups:blank control group receiving no treatment,induction group treated with 10 μg/L anti-interleukin (IL)-21 and anti-IL-6 antibodies and 3 μg/L anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies for 5 days,and intervention group additionally treated with 40 μmol/L baicalin for 5 days besides the above treatment.Then,50 μg/L phorbol ester,750 μg/L ionomycin and 20 mg/L brefeldin A were used to stimulate some cultured naive CD4+ T cells in the above groups.Flow cytometry was conducted to determine the proportion of CD4+CXCR5+PD-1 + cells and CD4+IL-21+ cells.Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS20.0 software by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and student t test for the comparison of quantitative data between groups.Results The baicalin treatment could effectively improve the kidney impairment in the lupus-prone mice.Compared with the control group,the baicalin group showed significantly decreased 24-hour urine protein level ([1 416 ± 171] vs.[2 623 ± 278] μg/24 h,P =0.022),and significantly decreased proportion of Tfh cells in the spleen (12.6％ ± 2.3％ vs.40.2％ + 1.1％,P =0.005).In vitro baicalin could further inhibit the differentiation of Tfh cells.Compared with the induction group,the intervention group showed significantly decreased proportion of CD4+CXCR5+PD-1+ Tfh cells (13.3％ ± 0.8％ vs.17.6％ ± 0.9％,P =0.04) and CD4+IL-21+ cells (1.0％ ± 0.4％ vs.2.7％ ± 0.2％,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Baicalin can effectively ameliorate lupus nephritis,which may be associated with the inhibition of Tfh cell differentiation.
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Objective To detect the expression of follicuLar helper T cells (Tfh) and interleukin-21 (IL-21) in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatic echinococcosis and healthy controls, so as to explore the associations of Tfh and IL-21 expression with the progression of hepatic echinococcosis. Methods Fifty cases of hepatic echinococcosis and healthy controls were collected from Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of Tfh cells in the peripheral blood of hepatic echinococcosis patients and healthy controls, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum IL-21 expression in hepatic echinococcosis patients and healthy controls. The correlation between Tfh cell expression and serum IL-21 level was examined in the patients with hepatic echinococcosis. Results Flow cytometry detected a higher percentage of CD4+CXCR5+ T cells (18.49% ± 5.67% vs. 16.18% ± 4.04%, P < 0.05), CD4+CXCR5+PD-1+ T cells (4.94% ± 1.91% vs. 2.29% ± 0.79%, P < 0.05) and CD4+CXCR5+ICOS+PD-1+ T cells (30.93% ± 24.10% vs. 21.07% ± 14.25%, P < 0.05) in hepatic echinococcosis patients than in healthy controls, and no significant difference was seen in the percentage of CD4+CRCR5+ICOS+ T cells between the patients and controls (0.29% ± 0.32% vs. 0.25% ± 0.31%, P > 0.05) . The serum IL-21 level was significantly higher in the patients with hepatic echinococcosis than in healthy controls ([ 293.35 ± 2 03.65) pg/mL vs. (192.72 ± 70.09) pg/mL, P < 0.05]; however, there was no correlation between the Tfh cell expression and serum IL-21 level in patients with hepatic echinococcosis (P > 0.05). Conclusion The expression of peripheral blood Tfh cells and serum IL-21 is elevated in patients with hepatic echinococcosis, and Tfh cells and IL-21 may contribute to the progression of hepatic echinococcosis.
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Objective To explore the proportion of CCR7loPD-1hi follicular helper T cell (Tfh) in peripheral blood of the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its clinical role. Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 31 SLE patients, 29 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, 12 Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) patients and 37 healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression levels of C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), inducible costimulator (ICOS) and signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family member 5 (SLAMF5) on surface of Tfh, and the frequencies of CCR7loPD-1hi Tfh and CCR7hiPD-1lo Tfh in peripheral blood. The correlation between the proportion of CCR7loPD-1hi Tfh in peripheral blood of SLE patients and clinical indicators and the proportion of plasmablasts was analyzed. Results The expression levels of CXCR3, ICOS and SLAMF5 were significantly higher on the surface of the CCR7loPD-1hi Tfh compared with those of the CCR7hiPD-1lo Tfh (t=3.73, 5.06 and 8.27; all P0.05). The proportion of CCR7loPD-1hi Tfh in peripheral blood of the SLE patients was positively correlated with systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI), serum anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) titers and the proportion of plasmablasts (r=0.447 1, 0.517 4 and 0.466 9; all P<0.05). Conclusion Increased proportion of CCR7loPD-1hi Tfh in peripheral blood of the SLE patients is associated with increased SLEDAI and increased proportion of plasmablasts; and detecting the Tfh subsets can indirectly reflect the functional status of germinal center and B lymphocytes, which is of great significance for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis of SLE.
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The germinal center reaction is a key event of humoral immunity, providing long-lived immunological memory. Follicular helper T (T(FH)) cells are a specialized subset of CD4⁺ T cells located in the follicles, which help B cells and thus control the germinal center reaction. T(FH) cell development is achieved by multi-step processes of interactions with dendritic cells and B cells along with the coordination of various transcription factors. Since the T helper cell fate decision program is determined by subtle changes in regulatory molecules, fine tuning of these dynamic interactions is crucial for the generation functional T(FH) cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important post-transcriptional regulatory molecules for gene expression, which consequently modulate diverse biological functions. In the last decade, the miRNA-mediated regulation network for the germinal center reaction has been extensively explored in T cells and B cells, resulting in the identification of several key miRNA species and their target genes. Here, we review the current knowledge of the miRNA-mediated control of the germinal center reaction, focusing on the aspect of T cell regulation in particular. In addition, we highlight the most important issues related to defining the functional target genes of the relevant miRNAs. We believe that the studies that uncover the miRNA-mediated regulatory axis of T(FH) cell generation and functions by defining their functional target genes might provide additional opportunities to understand germinal center reactions.
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B-Lymphocytes , Dendritic Cells , Gene Expression , Germinal Center , Immunity, Humoral , Immunologic Memory , MicroRNAs , T-Lymphocytes , T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer , Transcription FactorsABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the proportion of follicular helper T cells(Tfh) and its clinical significance in peripheral blood of patients with autoimmune encephalitis(AE).Methods:①Cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) specimen was collected from the patients who were confirmed to have autoantibodies associated with autoimmune encephalitis,and the CSF was incubated with frozen sections of rat brain tissue,and the immunofluorescence staining was performed. ②17 patients were collected (3 cases with anti LGI1 antibody positive,3 cases with anti GABAR antibody positive,11 cases with anti NMDAR antibody positive, and 1 case with anti NMDAR antibody,anti GABAR antibody and anti AMPA2 antibody positive).All of the above,21 samples were collected with peripheral blood:6 cases with no therapy;15 cases with therapy(contains 8 remission ones and 7 no remission ones).15 healthy controls(control group) were collected. The percentage of CD3+CD4+CXCR5+PD1+T cells were detected by flow cytometry (FCM).The correlation between the Tfh cells and the disease recovery was also analyzed.Results:①Cerebrospinal fluid of patients incubated with frozen sections of rat brain tissue,immunofluorescence staining results showed positive reaction.②The flow cytometry results showed that the percentage of peripheral blood Tfh cells in patients with untreated group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.001),and after treatment the percentage of Tfh in no improved group was higher than improved group(P<0.05).But the percentage of Tfh cells had no statistical difference between the improved group and the control group(P=0.107).Conclusion:The increase of peripheral blood Tfh cells percentage in the AE patients may contribute to the occurrence and development of AE.
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Objective@#To investigate the changes of the frequencies of follicular helper T (Tfh) cell subsets in peripheral blood of HIV-1 infected patients and its relevance to the disease severity.@*Methods@#Twenty untreated HIV+ patients, 20 HAART-suppressed patients and 15 health controllers are enrolled in this study. The frequencies of Tfh and its subsets were examined by flow cytometry.@*Results@#The frequency of Tfh17 subset in peripheral blood decreased significantly in untreated HIV-1+ patients as compared with those of healthy controls and HAART-suppressed patients (P<0.05). In addition, the frequency of this subset were positively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts in both untreated and treated HIV+ patients, and were inversely correlated with viral load and plasma-immunoglobulin in untreated HIV+ patients. The frequency of Tfh2 subset, however, were inversely correlated with CD4+ T cell counts and positively correlated with viral load and plasma-immunoglobulin in untreated HIV+ patients. The frequency of Tfh1 subset in peripheral blood increased significantly in untreated and treated HIV-1+ patients as compared with those of healthy controls (P<0.05) and were inversely correlated with viral load and plasma-immunoglobulin in untreated HIV+ patients and positively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts.@*Conclusions@#The abnormal distribution of Tfh subests may play a role in the progression of HIV infection and its characteristic immune activation.
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Objective To study the changes and significance of the frequencies of circulating follicular helper T cells (cTfh) and circulating regulatory follicular T cells (cTfr) as well as the cTfh/cTfr ratio in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).Methods The frequencies of cTfh,cTfr and B cells in patients with NMOSD and health controls(HCs) were measured by flow cytometry.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the level of IL-21 and AQP4-Ab in patients and HCs.Results The frequencies of cTfh and B cells,the cTfh/cTfr ratio and the plasma level of IL-21 werc significantly higher in the relapsing patients than those in the remitting patients and HCs(P ＜ 0.05),and the cTfr level in the relapsing patients was lower than that in the remitting patients and healthy population (P ＜ 0.05).But no statistical differences were observed in the above indexes between the remitting paticnts and HCs.There was also no significant difference in AQP4-Ab level between the patients with relapse and remission (P ＞ 0.05).The frequency of cTfh in the patients wasc positively correlated with the level of B cells and IL-21(P ＜ 0.05),and the frequency of cTfr was negatively correlated with B cells and IL-21 (P ＜ 0.05).The ratio of cTfh/cTfr was positively correlated with B cell frequency and IL-21 level (P ＜ 0.05).AQP4-Ab level had no correlation with the frequencies of cTfh cells and B cells,cTfh/cTfr ratio and IL-21 concentration (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The changes in the frequencies of cTfh and cTfr as well as the imbalanced cTfh/cTfr ratio may promote the activation of humoral immunein NMOSD and participate in the pathogenesis of this disease.
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Objective To investigate the expression of follicular helper T (Tfh) cell subsets in peripheral blood of patients with liver transplantation (LT) and relevance to the prognosis. Methods Eleven liver transplant patients with stable liver function were enrolled in this study. The frequencies of Tfh subsets were examined by flow cytometry. The frequencies and the level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and total bilirubin (TBIL) were monitored dynamically within one month after LT. Results The frequency of CD4+CXCR5+CXCR3–CCR6– Tfh2 subset in peripheral blood increased significantly after LT as compared with those before transplantation (P<0.05). In addition, the frequency of CD4+CXCR5+CXCR3–CCR6+ Tfh17 subset in peripheral blood showed a trend of increase. The frequency of CD4+CXCR5+CXCR3+CCR6– Tfh1 subset, however, showed a downtrend, but no statistical difference was found. Conclusion The subsets of Tfh2 and Tfh17 may be involved in the regulation of alloimmune response and play a role in maintaining liver function stability in liver transplant patients.
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Objective To investigate the changes of follicular helper T cells (Tfh cells) and Tfh cells associated molecules in the peripheral blood (PB) of patients with malignant lymphoid diseases (MLD) dynamically, and explore their roles on pathogenesis of the diseases. Methods Fifty-five patients with MLD were enrolled in this study,including 9 patients with acute lymphocyte leukemia (ALL), 30 patients with non-Hodgkin lymophoma (NHL) and 16 patients with multiple myeloma (MM), and 10 healthy controls (NC) of similar age were also enrolled. The percentage of CD4+CXCR5+cells (Tfh cells) and expression of ICOS+, PD1+among the T cells were detected by flow cytometry (FCM), while the levels of interleukin 21 (IL-21) in plasma were detected by ELISA tests. Results The percentage of Tfh cells and expression of ICOS and/or PD-1 in PB of all untreated patients were significantly higher than those of NC (all P 0.05), and apparently lower than those who achieved PR (P 0.05), and much higher than NC (P< 0.01). The concentration of IL-21 in patients were much higher than that in NC [(326.56±32.44) pg/ml] (P<0.01), and MM group
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Objective To explore the impact of ketogenic diet (KD) on follicular helper T cells(TFH) in children with intractable epilepsy.Methods Thirty-three cases with intractable epilepsy were selected between Jul.2013 and Jan.2014 in Shenzhen Children's Hospital,19 boys and 14 girls; average age was 39.6 months,and seventeen age-matched healthy children who took a physical examination in the same hospital were assigned as the healthy control group.Blood samples were collected from the children with refractory epilepsy before and after 1 week of KD treatment.The proportions of the various stages of B cells and TFH cells were detected by flow cytometry.The plasma concentration of interleukin-21 (IL-21) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and realtime quantitative PCR(RT-PCR) was performed to detect the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ),B-lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1),B-cell lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) and IL-21 mRNA expression in CD4 + T cells.Results (1) The number of TFH cells in children with intractable epilepsy [(3.57 ± 0.58) ％] was remarkably decreased after KD treatment(P ＜ 0.01),while there were no difference between after KD treatment and healthy control group[(4.93 ±0.70)％ vs (5.03 ±0.63)％,P ＞0.05].(2) The levels of transcription factor Bcl6 expression after treatment were significantly decreased,while inhibitory factor Blimp-1 expression increased (P ＜ 0.05).(3)The plasma concentration of IL-21 had a trend to decrease (P ＞ 0.05),while there were no difference before and after KD treatment,and levels of IL-21 mRNA expressions in CD4 +T cells were significantly decreased after the treatment (8.28 × 10-3 ± 1.19 × 10-3 vs 1.72 × 10-2 ± 0.81 × 10-2,t =3.08,P ＜ 0.05).(4) There was no significant difference in CD27-IgD + B cells before and after KD treatment (P ＞ 0.05),CD27 + IgD + B cell and CD27-IgD-B cells had a trend to decrease after KD treatment(P ＞0.05),and CD27 + IgD-B cells and CD27 + IgD-CD38 high plasma cells were significantly decreased after KD treatment (P ＜ 0.05).(5) The number of TFH cells were correlated positively with the number of CD27 + IgD-B cells and CD27 + IgD-CD3g high plasma cells (r =0.785,0.745,P ＜ 0.05).(6) The levels of PPAR-γmRNA in CD4 + T cells expression were significantly up-regulated after KD treatment (3.49 × 10-3 ± 1.10 × 10-3 vs 2.28 ± 10-3 ± 1.30 × 10-3,t =3.41,P ＜0.05),and the number of TFH cells and PPAR-γgene expression was correlated negatively (r =-0.619,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions KD might down regulate TFH cell number and function through inducing PPAR-γexpression and could inhibit B cell differentiation,which might be one of the factors for hypogammaglobuinemia by KD treatment.
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Objective To investigate the possible mechanism of hypogammaglobuinemia caused by ketongenic diet (KD).Methods Thirty-six children with intractable epilepsy (IP) and seventeen age-matched healthy children were recruited in this study.The percentages of B cells at various stages of devel-opment and follicular helper T ( Tfh) cells were detected by flow cytometry.The plasma concentrations of IL-21 were determined by ELISA.Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expression of mam-malian target of rapamycin ( mTOR) , Blimp-1, Bcl-6 and IL-21 at mRNA level in CD4+T cells.Results mTOR at mRNA level was significantly down-regulated after KD treatment (P<0.05).The numbers of Tfh cells were positively correlated with the transcriptional level of mTOR (r=-0.691, P<0.05).Conclusion KD treatment might down-regulate Tfh and B cells through suppressing the expression of mTOR at mRNA level, suggesting a possible mechanism of hypogammaglobuinemia induced by KD treatment.
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Objective To test the level of follicular helper T cells (Tfh) and interleukin (IL)-21,CXCL13 in the peripheral blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS),and to analyze the relationship between Tfh and clinic features and explore the possible immunological pathogenesis of AS.Methods The Tfh cells were obtained from patients and normal controls and detected by flow cytometry.While the levels of IL-21,CXCL13 in patients and normal controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests.Data analysis were performed by Student's t-test,Rank-sum test,Spearman's correlation test.Results The expression of CD4+CXCR5 qCOS + cells (Tfh) (mean rank 33.71) and IL-21 [(299±27) ng/L],CXCL13 [(5.8±1.0) μg/L] in the peripheral blood of AS was significantly higher than normal controls [mean rank 23.54,(176±26) ng/L,(4.2±0.8) μg/L] (Z=-2.258,t=17.221,t=6.464,all P＜0.05).It was similar in AS with peripheral joint involvement compared with AS of non-peripheral joint involvement,and there was no difference between AS patients with positive HLA-B27 and those without HLA-B27.Mean -while,no correlation was found between the expression of Tfh,IL-21,CXCL13 and level of ESR,CRP,BASDAI.And there was no significant correlation between the expression of Tfh and IL-21,CXCL13 (P＞0.05).Conclusion The expression of Tfh and the levels of IL-21,CXCL13 are increased significantly,but are not closely relatedto disease activity.These results indicate that the abnormality of Tfh may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AS.
ABSTRACT
Follicular helper T (TFH) cells are recently highlighted as their crucial role for humoral immunity to infection as well as their abnormal control to induce autoimmune disease. During an infection, naive T cells are differentiating into TFH cells which mediate memory B cells and long-lived plasma cells in germinal center (GC). TFH cells are characterized by their expression of master regulator, Bcl-6, and chemokine receptor, CXCR5, which are essential for the migration of T cells into the B cell follicle. Within the follicle, crosstalk occurs between B cells and TFH cells, leading to class switch recombination and affinity maturation. Various signaling molecules, including cytokines, surface molecules, and transcription factors are involved in TFH cell differentiation. IL-6 and IL-21 cytokine-mediated STAT signaling pathways, including STAT1 and STAT3, are crucial for inducing Bcl-6 expression and TFH cell differentiation. TFH cells express important surface molecules such as ICOS, PD-1, IL-21, BTLA, SAP and CD40L for mediating the interaction between T and B cells. Recently, two types of microRNA (miRNA) were found to be involved in the regulation of TFH cells. The miR-17-92 cluster induces Bcl-6 and TFH cell differentiation, whereas miR-10a negatively regulates Bcl-6 expression in T cells. In addition, follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells are studied as thymus-derived CXCR5+PD-1+Foxp3+ Treg cells that play a significant role in limiting the GC response. Regulation of TFH cell differentiation and the GC reaction via miRNA and TFR cells could be important regulatory mechanisms for maintaining immune tolerance and preventing autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we review recent studies on the various factors that affect TFH cell differentiation, and the role of TFH cells in autoimmune diseases.