Frequency Of Peripheral Blood Th17Cells In SLE Patients And Their Correlation With Disease Activity

Objective To investigate the frequency of peripheral blood Th17cells in SLE patientsand their correlation with disease activity.Methods Circulating CD3+CD8-IL-17+T cells were quantified in48SLE patients and26healthy controls by using5-color flow cytometer.Results The frequency of CD3+CD8-IL-17+T cells were increased in the PBMCs ofSLE patients (median=0.89%, range0.27%1.43%) compared with healthy controls(median=0.26%,range0.11%0.77%)(Z=-5.89, P<0.01). CD3+CD8-IL-17+T cellsexpressed much higher in patients with active SLE(median=0.92%, range0.29%1.43%)than inactive SLE (median=0.52%, range0.27%1.02%)(Z=-3.15,P<0.01).Furthermore, The frequencies of CD3+CD8-IL-17+T cells were significantly higher inpatients with SLE with nephritis (median=0.92%, range0.29%1.43%) than thosewithout nephritis(median=0.51%, range0.27%1.31%)(Z=-3.50,P <0.01). There was anegative correlation between the percentages of CD3+CD8-IL-17+T cells and C3, C4.There was a positive correlation between the proportion of CD3+CD8-IL-17+T cells andSLEDAI, ESR, Serum creatinine,24-hour urine protein as well as IgA.Conclusions Increased numbers of Th17cells in SLE patients and their correlations with SLEDAI, lupus nephritis score as well as clinical data suggest that Th17may beinvolved in the pathogenesis of SLE and lupus nephritis.