Objective:To identify the characteristics of nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and investigate whether more severe peripheral microangiopathy at NFC were related to the development of SSc.Methods:① The study included 115 patients (60 cases with SSc and 55 patients with other connective tissue diseases). All patients were treated with neither prednisone nor immunosuppressive drugs within 3 months before enrollment. We collected the following data: age, disease duration, disease onset, mRSS, high-resolution chest tomography (HRCT), echocardiography, pulmonary function, nailfold capillaroscopy and routine laboratory assessments. ② All the NFC definitions were used for semi-quantitatively scoring and Cutolo's qualitative assessment. ③ The relationship between NFC changes and joint, visceral involvement and autoantibodies in SSc patients was analyzed. ④ T test, Rank sum test and chi-square test were applied to analyze data. Results:① According to Cutoloqualitative assessment of NFC, patients of SSc with active/late pattern ( n=52) were very common than other CTD ( n=21) ( Z=-3.853, P<0.01). ② According to semiquantitative assessment, the scores of loss of capillaries [(1.67±0.60) vs (0.72±0.46), t=8.347, P<0.01)], irregular enlarged capillaries [(1.22±0.88) vs (0.74±0.50), t=3.178, P<0.01)], hemorrhage [(0.30±0.39) vs (0.10±0.21), t=3.090, P<0.01)], disorganization of the microvascular array [(0.38±0.38) vs (0.18±0.32), t=2.729, P<0.01)] were significantly higher than CTD. ③ The NFC of SSc patients was significantly different from CTD. The number of capillary loss ( Z=-4.194, P<0.01), input capillary dimensions ( t=3.704, P<0.01), output capillary dimensions ( t=3.913, P<0.01), wide diameter of capillary ( t=4.586, P<0.01), tortuous capillaries ( Z=-2.677, P<0.01), gaint capillary ( χ2=8.040, P=0.013), effusion ( Z=-2.278, P=0.023) were more increased than CTD. ④ The NFC pattern of SSc with lung involvement were mainly active and late (66%, 33/50), whereas early and active pattern (60%, 6/10) for those without respiratory system involvement ( Z=10.114, P=0.045) . The NFC pattern of SSc patients with joint involvement were mainly active and late (75%, 12/16), whereas early and active (66%, 29/44) for those without joint involvement ( Z=5.550, P=0.057) . Conclusion:The NFC of SSc patients is significantly different from CTD. NFC may be a suitable tool for disease evaluation.

Objective: To study the role of Treg cells in the development of mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) through depleting or transplanting Treg cells. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were injected with anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody to deplete natural CD25-expressing Treg cells in vivo, and then treated with MOG_35-55/CFA to induce EAE. Their EAE scores were compared with those of the mice without Treg cell deletion (control group). The numbers and percentages of CD4⁺ Foxp3⁺ cells in mouse blood samples on 6 d, 10 d, 20 d and 35 d were quantified using flow cytometry. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Treg cells transplantation on EAE, magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) combined with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was used to isolate Treg cells from spleen and lymph nodes of Foxp3^GFP+ transgenic mice on 6 d after EAE induction. Then the cells were injected through tail vein into wild-type mice on 6 d after EAE induction. The EAE scores of both recipient and control mice were recorded and compared. Results: The efficiency of natural Treg cells depletion with anti-CD25 antibody was above 95%. The mice with Treg cell depletion developed significantly more severe EAE than the control mice after MOG_35-55/CFA induction. FACS analysis of Treg cells during the development of EAE demonstrated that the lowest Treg cell percentage was detected on 6 d after EAE induction, hence it was the time point for the transplantation of Treg cells. CD4⁺ GFP⁺ Treg cells were isolated from Foxp3^GFP+ transgenic mice on 6 d after EAE induction and immediately transplanted into wild-type mice on 6 d after EAE induction. The transplantation of isolated Treg cells significantly alleviated the EAE in mice as compared with the control group. Conclusions Mice with Treg cell depletion developed severer EAE than the control mice after induction, but the EAE score could be significantly reduced with the transplantation of Treg cells. This study showed that the transplanted Treg cells had protective effect on mice during the course of EAE development. Thus, Treg cell transplantation could be used as an effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).