Analysis of LAP+ and GARP+ Treg subsets in peripheral blood of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
Abstract
Introduction Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a group of antibody-mediated inflammatory demyelinating central nervous system diseases. T lymphocytes participate in NMOSD pathogenesis, with regulatory T cells (Treg) being the core in maintaining immune homeostasis. Studies have revealed that different Treg subsets play different roles in autoimmune diseases. The distribution of LAP+ or GARP+ Treg subsets in NMOSD may help us deeply understand their immune mechanism. Methods This study reviewed 22 NMOSD patients and 20 normal controls. Flow cytometric analysis was utilized to detect subsets of Treg cells expressing Foxp3, Helios, LAP, or GARP in peripheral blood. ELISA was used to detect plasma TGF-β1 and IL-10. In addition, changes in the proportion of Treg cell subsets before and after glucocorticoid treatment in 10 patients were analyzed. Results Compared with healthy controls, LAP and GARP expressions were significantly downregulated in the peripheral blood of NMOSD patients. TGF-β1 expression in NMOSD patients was lower and was positively correlated with the ratio of CD4+GARP+ Treg cells. After treatment with glucocorticoid, LAP and GARP expressions in the peripheral blood of NMOSD patients were upregulated. Conclusions The proportion of Treg cells expressing LAP and GARP is downregulated, implying that Treg cells with the best inhibitory function are insufficient to maintain autoimmune homeostasis in NMOSD patients. Upregulation of Treg cells expressing LAP and GARP in NMOSD patients may be one of the mechanisms of glucocorticoid treatment.
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FOXP3+ AQP4-specific ThEx cells are not derived from an unstable thymic Treg precursor.
“indicating that they are not derived from an unstable thymic Treg precursor, as described in various AIDs 71,72 including NMOSD. 73-76”
From Autoantigen-specific CD4+ T cells acquire an exhausted phenotype and persist in human antigen-specific autoimmune diseases (2024) · cites this paper as [76]
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- Authors
- Cai, H., Liu, Y., Dong, X., Jiang, F., Li, H., Ouyang, S., Yin, W., He, T., Zeng, Q., & Yang, H.
- Affiliations
- Central South University (CN)
- Second People Hospital of Hunan (CN)
- Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- The First Hospital of Changsha (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Zeng, Qiuming
- Yang, Huan
- Venue
- Neurological Sciences
- Published
- 2023-01-23
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1739-1747
- ISSN
- 1590-1874 (ISSN-L)
- 1590-3478
- OpenAlex
- W4317715931
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 2.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Neurological Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (81801203)
- Hunan Academician Expert Workstation (Shi Xuemin) Open-end Fund Project (2019YSZJJ12)
- Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (2022JJ40724)
- Science and Technology Innovation Guidance Project of Hunan Province (2020SK53009)
- Changsha Municipal Natural Science Foundation (kq2007037)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis
- Keywords
- neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, regulatory T cells, Foxp3, Helios, TGF-β1, IL-10, glucocorticoid therapy, demyelinating disease, immune homeostasis, CD4+ T cells
- MeSH terms
- Glucocorticoids, Humans, Membrane Proteins, Neuromyelitis Optica, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory, Transforming Growth Factor beta1
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