Alterations of CD4 T cells and CD4~+CD25~(high)CD127~– regulatory cells in patients with arteriosclerosis

Objective: To investigate the changes in proportion and function of the CD4 T cells and regulatory cells(CD4+CD25high CD127– Treg cells) in peripheral blood of arteriosclerosis(AS) patients.Methods: AS patients(AS group) and healthy subjects undergoing health maintenance examination(healthy control group) were selected with 40 cases in each group, and then the samples of peripheral venous blood were obtained. Using l ow cytometry, the proportions of CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, IFN-γ+ CD4 T cells, TNF-α+CD4 T cells and CD4+CD25high CD127– Treg cells were measured, and the changes in ability of proliferation and cytokine secretion of the CD4 T cells after co-culture with respective CD4+CD25high CD127– Treg cells were also determined.Results: In AS group compared with healthy control group, the proportion of CD4 T cells and CD4 T/CD8 T ratio were significantly increased and the proportions of IFN-γ+ CD4 T cells and IFN-α+ CD4 T cells were also significantly increased(all P0.05), but the proportions of CD8 T cells and CD4+CD25high CD127– Treg cells showed no significant difference(both P0.05). In healthy control group, the abilities of proliferation and IFN-γ and IFN-α secretion in CD4 T cells were all significantly lower in co-culture with CD4+CD25high CD127– Treg cells than those in single culture(all P0.05), while these parameters in AS group showed no significant difference between single culture and co-culture(all P0.05).Conclusion: There is loss of function of CD4+CD25high CD127– Treg cells in AS patients, which results in the increased proportion and cytokine secretion ability of CD4 T cells, and thereby triggers the inflammatory state in AS.