Journal
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
Volume 116, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109797
Keywords
Multiple sclerosis; Helios; Regulatory T cells; FOXP3; Lymphocyte
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This study examined the frequency and gene expression levels of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) patients. The results showed that the percentage of Tregs with CD4 and CD25 markers did not differ significantly compared to healthy controls, but the lymphocytes with CD4/CD25/FOXP3/Helios markers were significantly reduced in SPMS patients. The expression of the Helios gene was also decreased in these patients. These findings suggest that a deficiency in Tregs may be involved in the immunological mechanisms of SPMS.
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an aggressive disease characterized by central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory and demyelinating lesions. Tolerance failure is implicated in the development of several autoimmune disorders, including MS. Due to their involvement in maintaining environmental tolerance, regulatory T cells (Tregs) are regarded as efficient immune cells. We examined the frequency of Tregs in this study using CD4/ CD25/forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3)/Helios markers.Methods: Fifty participants, including 25 patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and 25 healthy controls (HCs), were enrolled in this study, and their demographic characteristics were recorded. Peripheral blood samples ranging from 5 to 6 mL were obtained, and the Ficoll technique was used to extract peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Then, the percentage of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+Helios+ regulatory T lymphocytes was examined by flow cytometry in the study groups. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also used to assess the Helios gene expression level.Results: This study showed that the percentage of Tregs with CD4 and CD25 markers did not reveal a significant difference compared with HCs despite the decrease in SPMS patients (P = 0.6). However, lymphocytes with CD4/ CD25/FOXP3/Helios markers were significantly reduced in the patients (P = 0.01). Additionally, SPMS patients had statistically significantly lower Helios gene expression levels (P = 0.002).Conclusion: In SPMS patients, a decrease in the frequency of the CD4+CD25+FOXP3+Helios+ Treg population can result in an imbalanced immune system. In other words, one of the immunological mechanisms involved in this disease may be a deficiency in Tregs. Helios gene expression was also decreased in these patients, which may exacerbate functional defects in Tregs.
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