Expressions of B7 and CD28 in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Patients with ankylosing Spondylitis and their significance

Objective:To investigate the relationship between abnormal expression of costimulatory molecules CD28,B7-1 and B7-2 in lymphocytes and immune dysfunction in patients with ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).Methods:Samples from 82 AS patients and 50 healthy controls were detected using flow cytometry, to determine the expression of CD3、CD4、CD8 and CD19 on lymphocytes and CD28 on CD3+CD4+ T cells or CD3+CD8+ T cells as well as CD80 and CD86 on CD19+ B cells; IgG、IgA and IgM in serum were determined with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ELISA. Results:Compared with controls, the CD3+ T cells、CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells in AS patients were significantly increased(P0.05), the CD3+CD8+ T cells were significantly decreased(P0.05); The CD28 expressed on CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD3+CD8+ T cells and CD80、CD86 expressed on CD19+ B cells in AS patients were all significantly higher than those in healthy controls (P0.05); The levels of IgG and IgA in serum of AS patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls(P0.01).Conclusion:The abnormal expression of CD28 and B7 molecules may be associated with aberrations or alterations of lymphocyte and APC in AS patients and suggests that the ligation of CD28 and B7-2 may be an important pathway in Th2-mediated response.