The expression and clinical value of CD40 ligand(CD154) and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objective To investigate the levels and clinical value of the peripheral blood CD154 and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Methods 20 patients with AS and 20 healthy donors were studied.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the levels of the peripheral blood CD154,CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells and HLA-B27.And T-test,Spearman correlation analysis were used in statistical analysis.Results The level of the peripheral blood CD154 was significantly higher in AS patients than that in normal controls [(4.38 ± 1.64) ％ vs.(1.92 ± 1.13) ％ (t =5.836,P ＜ 0.05)],and the level of the peripheral blood CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells was lower in AS patients than that in normal controls [(3.87 ± 1.11) ％ vs.(6.30 ± 1.46) ％ (t =6.254,P ＜ 0.05)].There was negative correlation between the peripheral blood CD154 and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in AS (r =-0.539,P ＜ 0.05).No relationship of the peripheral blood CD154,CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells with laboratory parameters were found in AS.Conclusion The levels of the peripheral blood CD154 and CD4+CD225+FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in AS are abnormal,and may be involved in the immunological pathogenesis of AS. Key words: CD40 ligand ;  T-lymphocytes, regulatory;  Spondylitis, ankylosing