Immunological characteristics and clinical significance of helper T cell 17 and regulatory T cell in patients with SAPHO syndrome
10.3760/cma.j.cn141217-20240808-00233
- VernacularTitle:SAPHO综合征患者辅助性T细胞17及调节性T细胞免疫特征及临床意义
- Author:
Xingtao ZHAO
1
;
Yan MA
1
;
Jing YANG
1
;
Wenli FENG
1
Author Information
1. 山西医科大学第二医院皮肤科，太原 030001
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Acquired hyperostosis syndrome;
Th17 cells;
T-lymphocytes, regulatory;
Cytokines
- From:
Chinese Journal of Rheumatology
2025;29(1):16-24
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the immunological characteristics, particularly the alterations in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, including Th17 and Treg cells, cytokine dysregulation, and their clinical significance in patients with SAPHO syndrome.Methods:Fifty-three patients with SAPHO syndrome admitted to the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2012 to December 2023 in the department of dermatology and venereology and rheumatology with complete data were retrospectively analyzed as the study objects. At the same time, 55 healthy subjects matched by age and sex were included as healthy control group. General clinical data such as age, sex, clinical manifestations and results of laboratory tests were collected. We employed flow cytometry to assess the absolute counts of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and utilized cytokines detected by the flow cytometry-based multiplex protein quantification technique (CBA) to measure serum cytokine levels. We compared the differences in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and cytokine levels between the two groups using the rank-sum test and Spearman correlation analysis.Results:① Patients with SAPHO syndrome exhibited significantly elevated absolute counts of total B cells [240.77(180.65, 303.87)/μl vs. 165.00(132.00, 223.00)/μl, Z=-3.25, P<0.001], CD8 + T cells[504.6(381.43, 735.36)/μl vs. 429.00(357.00, 579.00)/μl, Z=-2.71, P=0.007], and CD4 + T cells 898.47(755.61, 1 019.68) vs. 637.00(544.00, 819.00), Z=-3.94, P<0.001], along with reduced NK cells[212.59(123.02, 307.72) vs. 283.00(189.00, 406.00), Z=2.95, P=0.003]. Compared with healthy controls, both Th1 [159.56(105.01, 233.09)/μl vs. 47.18(9.73, 99.12)/μl, Z=-6.52, P<0.001] and Th17 cells[17.88(12.97, 23.69)个/μl vs. 5.38(4.06, 7.42)/μl, Z=-7.11, P<0.001] and the Th17/Treg ratio[0.59(0.38, 0.84) vs. 0.17(0.13, 0.29), Z=-6.85, P<0.001] were significantly higher in the CD4 + T subset, with statistical significant difference; however, no significant differences was observed in Th2[13.09(7.98, 20.60)/μl vs. 10.22 (5.36, 15.60)/μl, Z=-1.73, P=0.084] and Treg cell [30.08(22.14, 45.16)/μl vs. 33.58(22.15, 42.13)/μl, Z=0.07, P=0.985] levels between the two groups. ② Subgroup analyses based on the presence of peripheral joint involvement and skin manifestations revealed no significant differences in lymphocyte subsets among the groups ( P>0.05). ③ No significant correlation was found between Th17, Treg cells, Th17/Treg ratio, and clinical data (ESR, CRP, skin manifestations, joint symptoms) in patients with SAPHO syndrome patients( P>0.05). ④ The serum IL-2 level in patients with SAPHO syndrome was significantly lower than in healthy controls [1.74 (1.18, 2.36)pg/ml vs. 2.73(1.76, 3.49)pg/ml, Z=4.00, P<0.001], while levels of IL-6[5.72(4.63, 7.75)pg/ml vs. 3.17(2.67, 4.06)pg/ml, Z=-7.13, P<0.001], IL-10[3.15(2.29, 4.15) pg/ml vs. 2.02(1.68, 3.13)pg/ml, Z=-0.40, P<0.001]、IL-17[8.11(4.31, 11.2)pg/ml vs. 1.47(1.15, 2.88)pg/ml, Z=-5.51, P<0.001]、IFN-γ[3.79(2.93, 5.05)pg/ml vs. 1.50(1.31, 2.09)pg/ml, Z=-7.12, P<0.001]、TNF-α[2.14 (1.56, 3.11)pg/ml vs. 0.27(0.00,1.43)pg/ml, Z=-6.84, P<0.001] were markedly elevated. ⑤Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between IL-17 and Th17 cells ( r=0.49, P<0.001) as well as between Th17/Treg ( r=0.37, P=0.006). Conclusion:Patients with SAPHO syndrome exhibit an increased ratio of proinflammatory Th17 cells leading to immune imbalance and disturbances in proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, which may contribute to disease development. The reduction in IL-2 levels indicates a deficiency in IL-2 and decreased inhibition of Th17 cells, resulting in Th17/Treg immune imbalance, suggesting that low-dose IL-2 therapy could be beneficial to patients with SAPHO.
