Expression of caspase-3 and TRAIL receptors in CD4~+ and CD8~+ T cells of systemic lupus erythematosus patients / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the expression of caspase-3 and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptors in the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)patients. Methods The CD4+ and CD8+T cells from peripheral blood of 20 SLE patients and 10 healthy volunteers were separated using magnetic cell sorting system (MACS), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to test the expression of caspase-3 and TRAIL receptors in CD4+ and CD8+T cells of SLE patients and healthy volunteers. Results The CD8+T cells from SLE patients had significantly higher caspase-3 (P=0.003) and TRAIL-R2 (P=0.024) expression than those from healthy volunteers. Conclusion The TRAIL-R2 signal pathway may be a possible important pathway to the apoptosis of T cells in SLE patients.