CD4~+CD25~+Foxp3~+ Regulatory T Cell Content in Peripheral Blood and Synovial Fluid of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

Objective To analyze the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cell(Treg) contents in peripheral blood and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) and osteoarthritis(OA) and investigate the potential role of Treg in RA.Methods The peripheral blood samples of 36 patients with RA,30 patients with OA and 33 healthy volunteers were collected using blood collection tube with negative pressure,and the synovial fluid of patients with RA and OA by routine articulus puncturation,then determined for CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg content.Results CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg content in peripheral blood of patients with RA was significantly lower than those of patients with OA and those of healthy volunteers(P 0.05).However,the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg in peripheral blood of patients with OA showed no significant difference with that of healthy volunteers(P 0.05).The CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg content in synovial fluid of patients with RA was significantly higher than that with OA(P 0.01).Both the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg contents in synovial fluid of patients with RA and OA were significantly higher than those in peripheral blood of the same groups(P 0.01).Conclusion A decreased negative regulation of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg was observed in the patients with RA,which might be an indispensable factor for disease.However,it was more likely to be a secondary action after inflammation in synovial fluid.