Relationship of Regulatory T Cells with lnterleukin-4 and lnterferon-γ in Patients with Recent-ouset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

To primarily explore the relationship between regulatory T cells and Th1/Th2 cells,and its role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).Methods Flow cytometric analysis was employed to detect the proportions of CD4~+CD25~+ T cells and CD4~+CD25~(high)T cells in CD4~+ T cells in the peripheral blood of 54 SLE patients including 31 recent-onset SLE patients and 23 treated SLE patients and 20 healthy controls.ELISA was employed for intedeukin-4(IL-4),interferon-γ(IFN-γ)analysis. Results The proportion of CD4~+CD25~(high)T cells in SLE patients was significantly lower than that in healthy controls(P0.05).The proportions of CD4~+CD25~+ T cells and CD4~+CD25~(high)T cells in recent-onset SLE patients were significantly lower than those in healthy controls(P0.05,P0.01).The levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ,IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in recent-onset SLE patients(P0.01,P0.01,P0.05)and treated SLE patients(P0.01,P0.05,P0.01)were significantly higher than those in healthy controls.The level of IFN-γ in recent-onset SLE patients was significantly higher than that in treated SLE patients(P 0.05).For recent-onset SLE patients,CD4~+CD25~+ T cells was positively correlated with IL-4/IFN-γ ratio (r=0.241,P=0.040).Conclusion The regulatory T cells possibly play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE and the Th1/Th2 balance.