CD39+ TREG CELLS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

Abstract

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases is associated with impaired immunological tolerance. Regulatory T cells (Treg) play an important role in the regulation of the immune response and can prevent the development of excessive inflammation. Tregs use various immunosuppressive mechanisms to carry out their function, in particular the adenosine-mediated mechanism associated with the activation of the ectonucleotidase ENTPD1 (CD39). The aim of the research was to study the content of CD39 + Treg cells in RA and IBD. According to our data, high heterogeneity for the CD39 marker is observed in autoimmune diseases. The frequencies of the CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + Treg cells themselves were at the control level in RA, while the proportion of CD39+ cells was lower. In IBD, on the contrary, there was lower content of CD4 + CD25 + FOXP3 + Treg cells; however, the proportion of CD39 + cells was significantly increased both in comparison to patients with RA and healthy control. There was a significant increase in the number of activated T-helpers in both groups of patients compared to the healthy control. The frequency of the CD4 + CD25 - FOXP3 + T cells was increased in RA compared to controls, while in patients with IBD it was significantly decreased. We assume that changes in the subpopulation composition and expression of CD39 are associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, since these indicators can be used as markers of the inflammation process.