Alterations in peripheral blood regulatory T cell subsets in patients suffering from axial spondyloarthritis
- DOI
- 10.5922/ATB-2025-1-2-3
- Pages
- 42-57
Abstract
Axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the musculoskeletal system that belongs to the group of spondyloarthritis, characterized by the obligatory involvement of the sacroiliac joints and/or axial skeleton in the pathological process. In this study, we collected peripheral blood samples from 32 AxSpA patients and 29 healthy controls (НС), and investigated the regulatory T cell (Tregs) subsets by multicolor flow cytometry. We noticed that the relative numbers of ’naïve’ Tregs were decreased, while the relative and absolute numbers of central and effector memory Tregs (CM and EM were CD62L + CD45RA – and CD62L – CD45RA –, respectively) were elevated in patients with AxSpA. Next, in AxSpA patients CXCR5 – CXCR3 + CCR6 – Tr1 cells were increased both in relative and absolute frequencies. The absolute numbers of CXCR5 – CXCR3 – CCR6 – Tr2, CXCR5 – CXCR3 – CCR6 + Tr17, and CXCR5–CXCR3+CCR6+ Tr17.1 were also elevated in patients with AxSpA vs. HC group. Finally, in patients with AxSpA Tr1 were increased exclusively within CM Tregs, while Tr2 cells were elevated both within CM and EM Treg subsets. Tr17 cells were decreased both within CM and EM Treg subsets. Interestingly, we found no significant differences in CXCR5+ follicular Tregs between the groups. Further investigations of circulating Tregs will contribute to find new targets and therapies in AxSpA.
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