The Immune Regulation And Clinical Significance Of1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3on T Lymphocyte Sub-sets In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective To investigate the immune regulation of1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3onT lymphocyte sub-sets in systemic lupus erythematosus.Methods1.Twenty-four consecutive patients fulfilling the American College ofRheumatology (ACR)1997criteria for SLE who attended the in-patient clinic ofour Hospital and12RA patiets who attended the in-patient clinic of our hospitalas disease control group,were choosed.13age and sex-matched healthy people ascontrols.Disease activity was assessed by the SLEDAI and active was defined asSLEDAI≥10.2.Sorting T lymphocyte from peripheral blood mononuclear cell(PBMC) of three groups with Miltenyi MACS,Flow cytometry identify Tlymphocyte purity.Cells were seeded in24-well plates at a density of1×109,1.0mL/well,and were incubated with RPMI-1640medium containing with1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3as experimental group. The cells cultured without itwere taken as negative controls. Levels of IL-1β、TNF-α、IFN-γ、IL-4、IL-23weredetermined by Bio-plex suspension assay system after incubation for48hours. Inorder to establish the developing environment of Th17,the T lymphocyte wereincubated with RPMI-1640containing with PMA/Ionomycin and1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3as to Th17developing for48hours, and without it asnegative. The levels of IL-17was determined by the same way.Results (1)After incubating for48hours with1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, thelevels of IL-4from T lymphocyte were elevated significantly as compared to thegroups without intervention in SLE groups(P<0.01), the levels of IFN-γ、IL-17、IL-23from T lymphocyte were decreased markedly as compared to the groupswithout intervention in SLE groups(P<0.01), the levels of TNF-α were decreasedas compared to the groups without intervention in SLE group（sP＜0.05）.(2)Afterincubating for48hours with1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the levels of IL-4fromT lymphocyte were elevated significantly as compared to the groups without intervention in RAgroups(P<0.01), the levels of IFN-γ、IL-17、IL-23、TNF-α、IL-1βfrom T lymphocyte were decreased markedly as compared to the groupswithout intervention in RA groups(P<0.01).(3)After incubating for48hours with1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the levels of IL-4,IL-17from T lymphocyte wereelevated markedly in SLE groups as compared to the healthy controls(P＜0.01),the levels of IFN-γ、IL-23、TNF-α from T lymphocyte were elevated in SLEgroups as compared to the healthy controls(P＜0.05).(4)After incubating for48hours with1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3,the levels of IL-4、 IL-23from Tlymphocyte were elevated markedly in RA groups as compared to the healthycontrols(P＜0.01), the levels of IL17、TNF-α from T lymphocyte were elevated inRA groups as compared to the healthy controls(P＜0.05).(5)The IL-4level fromT lymphocyte were higher significantly than those of RA with before and afterintervention.Conclusion (1)After incubating with1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, it suppressesthe expression of Th1-related(IFN-γ) and Th17-related(IL-17) cytokineproductions, induces the expression of Th2-related cytokine productions(IL-4), wemay conclude that1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3may have immune regulation onTh1/Th2/Th17system balance.(2)The levels of IL-4in SLE groups are higherthan ones in RA groups after1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3intervention. We mayinfer that the Th2cells of SLE patients are better responders on vitamin D3thanthose of RA patients.