The expression of CD4~+ CD25~+ T cells in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective:To investigate the expressions of CD4+ CD25+ T cells and IL-10 in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and their clinical significance.Methods:Thirty SLE patients(seventeen active and thirteen remissive) and twenty normal controls were enrolled in the study. Flow-cytometric assay was employed for detection of CD4+ CD25+ T cells,and double antibody sandwich ELISA was applied to detect IL-10 in sera from SLE patients and normal controls.Results:The levels of CD4+ T cells in active and remissive SLE were significant lower than normal controls; the positive rate of CD4+ CD25+ T cells in both active and remissive SLE was higher than that in normal controls; the levels of IL-10 in active stage of SLE were significant higher than in remissive stage of SLE or in normal controls. No correlation was found among the levels of CD4+ CD25+ T cells or IL-10 in SLE with SLEDAI scores, anti-DNA and C3 level.Conclusion:CD4+ CD25+ T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with SLE are the marker for activation of T-cells, and aberrant IL-10 production was related with onset of SLE.