Study on relationship between CD4+CD25+ regulative T cells,TGF-β1 and activity of systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective To study the percentage of peripheral blood CD4+CD25+ regulative T cells and serum level of TGF-β1 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and to explore their relationship with activity of the disease.Methods The percentage of CD4 +CD25+ T cells in peripheral blood from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and normal controls was measured by flowcytometry.Serum level of TGF-β1 was detected by double antibody sandwich ELISA.Results Patients with active disease had statisitically lower levels of CD4+CD25+ T cells and TGF-β1 than those of normal controls and patients with non-active disease(P0.01),whereas no significant difference could be found between patients with non-active disease and normal controls.SLE patients with nephropathy had significantly lower levels of CD4+CD25+T cells and TGF-β1 than those of patients without nephropathy(P0101).Conclusion The decrease of percentage of peripheral blood CD4+CD25+T cells and serum level of TGF-β1 in patients with SLE is closely related with the activity of disease and complicated nephropathy.The decrease in percentage of blood CD4+CD25+T cells and serum level of TGF-β1 may play a crucial role in pathogenesis and progress of SLE.