Expression of soluble programmed death-1 protein in peripheral blood regulatory T cells and its effects on rheumatoid arthritis progression

  • Authors:
    • Chun‑Feng Ren
    • Ya‑Xin Zhao
    • Chun‑Feng Hou
    • Luan Luan
    • Guo‑Qing Duan
    • Shu‑Jie Li
    • Jian‑Hong Zhao
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: November 28, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2016.5968
  • Pages: 460-466
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the role of the soluble programmed death‑1 (sPD-1) protein, which is released by peripheral blood regulatory T cells (Treg) during the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). From October 2012 to May 2014, 82 RA patients (RA group) and 90 healthy volunteers (healthy controls; HC) were recruited. Cluster of differentiation (CD)4, CD25 and forkhead/winged helix transcription factor p3 (Foxp3) and expression of cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and Foxp3 were detected by flow cytometry. Expression of sPD‑1 in Treg was detected by western blot analysis. Immunosuppressive activity of CD4+CD25‑ Treg was measured via thiazolyl blue in an MTT assay. ELISA was used to detect interleukin‑10 (IL‑10), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon‑γ (IFN-γ) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF‑AT). It was observed that in peripheral blood, CD4+CD25-FOXP3+/CD4+ levels were reduced in the RA group (P<0.001), and sPD‑1 levels were markedly higher (P<0.001), compared with the HC group. Additionally, it was observed that relative sPD‑1 protein expression in the small interfering RNA (siRNA)-sPD-1 treated group was reduced compared with the untreated and scrambled siRNA groups (all P<0.0001). The mean fluorescence intensity of CTLA-4 and Foxp3 decreased markedly upon transfection with siRNA-sPD-1 (P<0.001). Compared with the normal CD4+CD25‑ T group, optical density (OD)540 values, IFN-γ/IL-4 concentration ratio and NF‑AT activity in siRNA untreated and scramble groups reduced significantly (all P<0.001). OD540 value, IFN-γ/IL-4 concentration ratio and NF‑AT activity in the siRNA‑sPD‑1 group were significantly upregulated (all P<0.001). Therefore, sPD-1 may suppress the level of CD4+CD25‑ Tregs in the peripheral blood of RA patients, and may be involved in a variety of immune processes mediated by CD4+CD25‑ Tregs.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

January-2017
Volume 15 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Ren CF, Zhao YX, Hou CF, Luan L, Duan GQ, Li SJ and Zhao JH: Expression of soluble programmed death-1 protein in peripheral blood regulatory T cells and its effects on rheumatoid arthritis progression. Mol Med Rep 15: 460-466, 2017
APA
Ren, C., Zhao, Y., Hou, C., Luan, L., Duan, G., Li, S., & Zhao, J. (2017). Expression of soluble programmed death-1 protein in peripheral blood regulatory T cells and its effects on rheumatoid arthritis progression. Molecular Medicine Reports, 15, 460-466. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2016.5968
MLA
Ren, C., Zhao, Y., Hou, C., Luan, L., Duan, G., Li, S., Zhao, J."Expression of soluble programmed death-1 protein in peripheral blood regulatory T cells and its effects on rheumatoid arthritis progression". Molecular Medicine Reports 15.1 (2017): 460-466.
Chicago
Ren, C., Zhao, Y., Hou, C., Luan, L., Duan, G., Li, S., Zhao, J."Expression of soluble programmed death-1 protein in peripheral blood regulatory T cells and its effects on rheumatoid arthritis progression". Molecular Medicine Reports 15, no. 1 (2017): 460-466. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2016.5968