Stratified distribution of Th17 and Treg cells in patients with multi-stage rheumatoid arthritis

Aberrant Subsets of Regulatory T Cells and their Correlations with Serum IL-2 in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Aberrant number and/or dysfunction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) is associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to assess the frequencies of naive Tregs (nTregs) and memory Tregs (mTregs) in the peripheral blood of RA patients and to explore their relationships with cytokine levels. This study involved 97 RA patients categorized into three groups based on Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and 50 healthy controls (HCs). Flow cytometry was employed to quantify Treg subsets in peripheral blood, while serum cytokine concentrations were measured using a flow cytometry bead array. The findings revealed that three RA groups, stratified by disease activity, all exhibited a significant decrease in both the count and percentage of nTregs and an increase in the percentage of mTregs compared to HCs. Notably, the group with high RA disease activity displayed a higher percentage of mTregs than the remission group. Additionally, correlation analysis indicated that IL-2 concentrations were negatively correlated with total T, CD4 + T and Th17 cell counts, and positively correlated with the absolute count of nTregs. This study demonstrated that the count of mTregs in RA patients increased with escalating disease activity, while the count of nTregs remained unchanged. Moreover, IL-2 concentrations were positively correlated with the numbers of Tregs and nTregs, suggesting that IL-2 plays a significant role in modulating Treg subsets. Further studies on targeted therapies aligned with the distribution of mTregs and nTregs in RA patients with varying disease activity could potentially achieve effective remission.

MiR-223 within neutrophil axis promotes Th17 expansion by PI3K-AKT pathway in systemic lupus erythematosus

INTRODUCTION

Further investigation is required to determine the etiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study is to assess the presence of miR-223 within neutrophils in SLE and investigate its impact on the expansion of Th17 cells.

METHODS

Experiments were performed in MRL/lpr mice, which were divided into control and miR-223 knockdown (miR-223-) group. We assessed miR-223 expression within neutrophils and Th17 expansion in MRL/lpr mice and patients with SLE using RT-PCR, luciferase reporter assay, Elisa, flow cytometry analysis. Signaling pathway, RT-PCR and western blot were conducted to elucidate the mechanism by which miR-223 within neutrophils expands Th17.

RESULTS

We initially identified miR-223 as a pivotal factor in the pathogenesis of SLE in both MRL/lpr mice and SLE patients. Subsequently, knockdown of miR-223 led to a significant reduction in Th17 expansion in MRL/lpr mice. Moreover, inhibition of miR-223 effectively attenuated the recruitment and activation of neutrophils in SLE. Furthermore, we found rb6-8c5 treatment alleviated lupus symptoms of MRL/lpr mice and reduce the level of Th17. Finally, we elucidated that neutrophils potentiate the induction of Th17 through the activation of thePI3K-AKT pathway mediated by miR-223 during SLE-associated Th17 expansion.

CONCLUSION

MiR-223 within neutrophil axis contributes to Th17 expansion by PI3K-AKT pathway in SLE, and miR-223 could be a therapeutic target of SLE.

Advancements in rheumatoid arthritis therapy: a journey from conventional therapy to precision medicine via nanoparticles targeting immune cells

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive autoimmune disease that mainly affects the inner lining of the synovial joints and leads to chronic inflammation. While RA is not known as lethal, recent research indicates that it may be a silent killer because of its strong association with an increased risk of chronic lung and heart diseases. Patients develop these systemic consequences due to the regular uptake of heavy drugs such as disease-modifying antirheumatic medications (DMARDs), glucocorticoids (GCs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), etc. Nevertheless, a number of these medications have off-target effects, which might cause adverse toxicity, and have started to become resistant in patients as well. Therefore, alternative and promising therapeutic techniques must be explored and adopted, such as post-translational modification inhibitors (like protein arginine deiminase inhibitors), RNA interference by siRNA, epigenetic drugs, peptide therapy, etc., specifically in macrophages, neutrophils, Treg cells and dendritic cells (DCs). As the target cells are specific, ensuring targeted delivery is also equally important, which can be achieved with the advent of nanotechnology. Furthermore, these nanocarriers have fewer off-site side effects, enable drug combinations, and allow for lower drug dosages. Among the nanoparticles that can be used for targeting, there are both inorganic and organic nanomaterials such as solid-lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, hydrogels, dendrimers, and biomimetics that have been discussed. This review highlights contemporary therapy options targeting macrophages, neutrophils, Treg cells, and DCs and explores the application of diverse nanotechnological techniques to enhance precision RA therapies.

Augmenting regulatory T cells: new therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune condition marked by inflammation of the joints, degradation of the articular cartilage, and bone resorption. Recent studies found the absolute and relative decreases in circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) in RA patients. Tregs are a unique type of cells exhibiting immunosuppressive functions, known for expressing the Foxp3 gene. They are instrumental in maintaining immunological tolerance and preventing autoimmunity. Increasing the absolute number and/or enhancing the function of Tregs are effective strategies for treating RA. This article reviews the studies on the mechanisms and targeted therapies related to Tregs in RA, with a view to provide better ideas for the treatment of RA.