Evidence of the transient nature of the Th17 phenotype of CD4+CD161+ T cells in the synovial fluid of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objective: To investigate the phenotype and function of CD4+ T cells in synovial fluid (SF) from the affected joints of children with oligoarticular-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and to establish a possible link with disease activity.

Methods: CD4+ T cells were obtained from the peripheral blood (PB) and SF of 23 children with oligoarticular-onset JIA, as well as from the PB of 15 healthy children. The cells were analyzed for the expression of CXCR3, CCR6, and CD161 and for the production of interferon-γ and interleukin-17A (IL-17A). Spectratyping and clonotype analyses were performed to assess different T cell subsets.

Results: The numbers of CD4+CD161+ cells showing either the Th1 or the Th17/Th1 phenotype were higher in the SF than in the PB of children with JIA. The few Th17 cells from JIA SF underwent a spontaneous shift to the Th1 phenotype in vitro, whereas Th17 cells from the PB of healthy children shifted only in the presence of JIA SF; this effect was neutralized by antibody blockade of IL-12 activity. Spectratyping and clonotype analyses showed a similar skewing of the T cell receptor V(β) repertoire in both CD161+ Th17 cells and CD161+ Th1 cells derived from the SF of the same JIA patient. The frequencies of CD4+CD161+ cells, particularly the Th17/Th1 cells, in the JIA SF positively correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and levels of C-reactive protein.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that a shifting of CD4+CD161+ T cells from Th17 to the Th17/Th1 or Th1 phenotype can occur in the SF of children with oligoarticular-onset JIA, and indicate that the accumulation of these cells is correlated with parameters of inflammation. Thus, the results support the hypothesis that these cells may play a role in JIA disease activity.