Flat Feet Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Flat Feet, including details on flatfoot, fallen arches, children, treatment, arthrodesis. | ||||||||
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Increased IL-4+ CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood and autoreactive CD8+ T cell lines of patients with inflammatory arthritis.Baek HJ, Zhang L, Jarvis LB, Gaston JS Department of Medicine, Box 157, Level 5, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK. OBJECTIVE: To measure the frequencies of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells from patients with AS and RA, and to assess their clinical relevance and properties. METHODS: Peripheral blood (PB) and clinical data were obtained from 37 AS, 36 RA patients and 37 healthy controls. We also generated IL-4-producing CD8+ T cell lines and clones by co-culture with autologous dendritic cells. Using flow cytometry, we evaluated intracellular cytokine expression by T cells following stimulation with PMA and calcium ionophore. The phenotype and ability of the IL-4-producing CD8+ T cell clones to suppress IFN-gamma production were examined. RESULTS: The percentages of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells were higher in PB of patients with AS and RA than controls (medians 0.90 and 0.84% vs 0.30%). In RA, patients with active inflammation had an increased percentage of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells. Higher frequencies of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells were also found in CD8+ T cell lines established from patients with arthritis. Interestingly, most IL-4+ CD8+ T cells produced TNF-alpha. Cloning the CD8+ T cell lines yielded more IL-4-producing clones from AS (23%) and RA patients (14%) than from controls (7%). The ability to suppress IFN-gamma production was observed in 56% (AS) and 85% (RA) of IL-4-producing clones. Suppressive IL-4+ CD8+ T cell clones from RA patients showed a similar regulatory phenotype to the clones previously isolated from AS patients. CONCLUSIONS: Expansion of IL-4+ CD8+ T cells, which may include precursors of a regulatory CD8+ T cell subset, may represent a general response to chronic joint inflammation. Published 20 May 2008 in Rheumatology (Oxford), 47(6): 795-803.
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