Involvement of CD4+,CD57+ T cells in the disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate the relationship between the frequency of peripheral CD57؉ T cells and the physical status of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and to perform cytokine analysis of these CD57؉ T cells.Methods. Four-color fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis was performed to detect both cell surface antigens and intracellular cytokines in peripheral blood leukocytes, using monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD57, interferon-␥ (IFN␥), and interleukin-4 (IL-4). RA patients were clinically evaluated with a modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (M-HAQ), joint score, face scale, and visual analog scale (VAS) assessing pain and disease activity.Results. There was a significant correlation between the frequency of CD4؉,CD57؉ T cells and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), whereas a correlation was not found between the frequency of CD8؉,CD57؉ T cells and ESR. The frequency of CD4؉,CD57؉ T cells also showed a significant correlation with the mHAQ score, VAS, and face scale. Again, there was no significant correlation between the above-mentioned clinical scores and the frequency of CD8؉,CD57؉ T cells. Flow cytometric analysis of intracellular cytokines revealed that 14.5% of the CD57؉ T cells produced IFN␥, whereas only 2.8% of the CD57؉ T cells produced IL-4 in RA patients.Conclusion. Evidence showing that the frequency of CD4؉,CD57؉ T cells among CD3؉ cells of RA patients had a significant correlation not only with ESR but also with the physical status of the patients, and that a large proportion of the CD4؉,CD57؉ T cells had the capacity to produce IFN␥, strongly suggests that these CD4؉,CD57؉ T cells are involved in the immunopathogenesis of RA.

Dysregulated lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

“…43 Additionally, clonal expansion of unusual CD4 ϩ T-cell subsets lacking CD28 and CD7 expression or expressing CD57 have been reported in RA. 10,11,44,45 In particular autoreactive CD4 ϩ CD7 Ϫ CD28 Ϫ lymphocytes 11 resemble CD4 ϩ CD57 ϩ T cells 45,46 and have been associated with RA pathogenesis. Our atypical cells express CD28 on their surface (data not shown) and, more important, proliferate strongly through CD3 and CD28 but not to CD3 alone ( Figure 5), distinguishing them from those cells.…”

Functional and Phenotypic Characterization of CD57+CD4+ T Cells and Their Association with HIV-1-Induced T Cell Dysfunction

“…The percentage of peripheral blood CD4 ϩ T cells expressing CD57 was significantly increased in HIV-1-infected subjects in this study. Increased frequencies of CD57 ϩ T cells have been associated with a number of pathological conditions where Ag persists, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, malaria, and HIV-1 (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). To determine whether there was an association between CD57 expression on CD4…”

“…The expression of CD57 on the surface of CD8 ϩ T cells is also linked with chronic immune activation, and increased numbers of CD8 ϩ T cells expressing CD57 have been associated with HIV-1 and other persistent viral infections (7,9,10). Expansions of CD4 ϩ T cells expressing CD57 are associated with a number of chronic pathological conditions such as tuberculosis, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV-1 infection (11)(12)(13)(14)(15). However, the function of these cells is not well characterized, and the association of this cell population with HIV-1 disease remains poorly understood.…”

Characterization of CD8+CD57+ T cells in patients with acute myocardial infarction

“…16,17 Furthermore, it was demonstrated that replicative senescence of T cells is better defined by the expression of CD57 than by a lack of CD28 expression, as determined by measurement of the T-cell receptor excision circle content and of the proliferative ability of T cells. 17 Notably, while CD57 1 T cells have been shown to be associated with various inflammatory diseases, [18][19][20][21][22] the pathogenic roles of CD57 1 T cells have yet to be elucidated in coronary artery disease.…”