Changes in Circulating CD44+CD62L− Treg Subsets and CD44−CD62L+ Treg Subsets Reflect the Clinical Status of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> This study clarified the expression changes and clinical significance of CD44+CD62L− Treg and CD44−CD62L+ Treg subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The peripheral blood of 39 patients with AR and 42 healthy controls was collected. Clinical data, such as sex, age, IgE titer, allergen screening information and visual analogue scale (VAS) score, were recorded. Changes in serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were detected using the cytometric bead array method. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportions of Th1, Th2, Th17, TFH, and Th9 cells and the proportions of CD44+CD62L− Treg and CD44−CD62L+ Treg subsets. Correlation analysis was performed between the CD44+CD62L− Treg subsets and the CD44−CD62L+ Treg subsets with clinical indicators (VAS score, total IgE titer), cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ), and Th1/Th2/Th17/TFH/Th9 cell proportions. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Compared to the control group, the proportion of total Treg cells and CD44+CD62L− Treg cells in the AR group decreased, and the proportion of CD44−CD62L+ Treg cells increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The proportions of CD44+CD62L− Treg cells significantly negatively correlated with Th2 cells (<i>R</i> = −0.5270, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and positively correlated with Treg cytokine IL-10 (<i>R</i> = 0.6447, <i>p</i> < 0.05). In addition, CD44+CD62L− Treg cells negatively correlated with the VAS score (<i>R</i> = −0.4956, <i>p</i> < 0.05), total IgE level (<i>R</i> = −0.4177, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and Th2 cytokine IL-6 level (<i>R</i> = −0.3034, <i>p</i> < 0.05) but positively correlated with the Th1 cytokine IL-2 (<i>R</i> = 0.4331, <i>p</i> < 0.05). In contrast, the proportion of CD44+CD62L− Treg cells significantly positively correlated with the Th2 cells (<i>R</i> = 0.6187, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Moreover, the proportion of CD44−CD62L+ Treg cells positively correlated with the VAS score (<i>R</i> = 0.4060, <i>p</i> < 0.05), total IgE level (<i>R</i> = 0.5224, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and Th2 cytokine IL-4 (<i>R</i> = 0.2647, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and IL-6 levels (<i>R</i> = 0.3824, <i>p</i> < 0.05) but negatively correlated with Th1 cytokine IL-2 (<i>R</i> = −0.3451, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and IL-10 (<i>R</i> = −0.3277, <i>p</i> < 0.05). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> A greater proportion of CD44+CD62L− Tregs correlated with better reversal of the Th1/Th2 imbalance and milder clinical symptoms in AR patients. The presence of more CD44−CD62L+ Tregs correlated with a weaker immunosuppressive effect on Th2 cells and more severe clinical symptoms in AR patients. These findings provide new perspectives for the treatment and disease monitoring of AR.