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Peripheral Blood T Lymphocytes from Systemic Sclerosis Patients Show Both Th1 and Th2 Activation

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Abstract

Our objective was to investigate the phenotype of helper T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). PBMC from 15 patients with SSc and 15 sex- and age-matched controls were investigated for lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD16/CD56, CD3-DR); IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ mRNAs; and the relative cytokines in their cytoplasm. The last assay was carried out both in unstimulated and in PMA-activated PBMC. SSc patients presented a higher percentage of activated T cells, CD3+ DR+ (19.7 ± 9.9 vs 5.1 ± 2.5%; P < 0.0001); 12 of them presented IFN-γ mRNA-positive cells; and none IL-2 or IL-4 mRNAs. Under basal conditions, PBMC from six SSc patients contained IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ (i.e., they showed both Th1 and Th2 activation), and 1 IFN-γ only. PMA-stimulated PBMC of patients differed from those of controls only in the increased percentage of IFN-γ positive cells (52 ± 12 vs 37 ± 11%; P < 0.01). Our study demonstrates that Th1 activation occurs in the peripheral blood of SSc patients. This evidence must be faced with from both a pathogenetic and a therapeutical point of view.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rheumatology Unit, Second, University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Gabriele Valentini, Caterina Naclerio & Giovanna Cuomo

  2. Clinical Microbiology Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Adone Baroni & Elisabetta Buommino

  3. Immunohematology Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Katherine Esposito, Angelo Farzati & Bartolomeo Farzati

Authors
  1. Gabriele Valentini
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  2. Adone Baroni
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  3. Katherine Esposito
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  4. Caterina Naclerio
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Valentini, G., Baroni, A., Esposito, K. et al. Peripheral Blood T Lymphocytes from Systemic Sclerosis Patients Show Both Th1 and Th2 Activation. J Clin Immunol 21, 210–217 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011024313525

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