The Role of Different Subsets of Regulatory T Cells in Immunopathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease and a systemic inflammatory disease which is characterized by chronic joint inflammation and variable degrees of bone and cartilage erosion and hyperplasia of synovial tissues. Considering the role of autoreactive T cells (particularly Th1 and Th17 cells) in pathophysiology of RA, it might be assumed that the regulatory T cells (Tregs) will be able to control the initiation and progression of disease. The frequency, function, and properties of various subsets of Tregs including natural Tregs (nTregs), IL-10-producing type 1 Tregs (Tr1 cells), TGF-β-producing Th3 cells, CD8+ Tregs, and NKT regulatory cells have been investigated in various studies associated with RA and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) as experimental model of this disease. In this paper, we intend to submit the comprehensive information about the immunobiology of various subsets of Tregs and their roles and function in immunopathophysiology of RA and its animal model, CIA.

Rsk2 controls synovial fibroblast hyperplasia and the course of arthritis

“…We rather found increased FoxP3 expressing regulatory T cells most likely as a consequence of the local increased TGF-β expression. These cells could protect against RA;27 however, this protection is usually not observed in patients due to impaired functionality of the cells28 that may also occur in our mice.…”

Physiology and Pathology of Immune Dysregulation: Regulatory T Cells and Anergy

“…Other Treg cells are found in the periphery, such as Tr1 cells, which lack the expression of the transcription factor FOXP3 [18] with immunosuppressive functions as IL-10 and TGF-β secretion [19], and Th3 cells with a variable level of FOXP3 expression [20]. CD8+CD25+ Treg cells are also developed in the thymus, expressing several molecules characteristic of nTregs, namely CD25, FOXP3, CTLA-4, and TNF-receptor.…”

Inflammation and Hypertension: New Understandings and Potential Therapeutic Targets

“…Many types of Tregs have been described according to cell surface marker expression and/or cytokine profile in the human immune system (CD8 + Tregs, Tr1, natural killer Tregs, etc.) [7]; however, the main focus in the field of hypertension has been on natural Tregs, or CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + T-lymphocytes. The mechanisms by which Tregs suppress inflammatory signaling continue to be elucidated, although it is widely thought that IL-10 and TGFβ play an important role in Treg-mediated immunosuppression [8].…”