Abstract
BackgroundCurrently, the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not clearly understood. The LIGHT/HVEM/BTLA co-signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA, although reports on the expression levels of LIGHT, HVEM and BTLA in T lymphocytes from RA patients are limited.MethodIn this study, we recruited 30 healthy controls and 21 RA patients. Clinical characteristics were collected for RA patients. The levels of LIGHT, HVEM and BTLA expressed on the surface of circulating T cells of RA patients and healthy controls were measured by flow cytometry.ResultThe percentages of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes that expressed BTLA from RA patients were all higher than those of the controls (all p < 0.05), while the percentages of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes that expressed HVEM and LIGHT were all lower than those of the controls (all p < 0.05). The rheumatoid factor and the percentage of HVEM+CD4+ T lymphocytes showed a statistically significant negative correlation in RA patients (r = -0.453, p = 0.039), as did the swollen joint count and the percentage of BTLA+CD8+ T lymphocytes (r = -0.501, p = 0.021).ConclusionHere, we provide the first report on the increased expression of BTLA in T lymphocytes and on the decreased expression of HVEM and LIGHT in RA patients. BTLA, HVEM and LIGHT might be involved in the pathogenesis of RA and have the potential to be new clinically useful characteristics of RA.
Highlights
T lymphocytes require both co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signals to be fully activated
We provide the first report on the increased expression of B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) in T lymphocytes and on the decreased expression of herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) and LIGHT in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients
The results showed that the expression levels of BTLA and HVEM in T lymphocytes were increased and that of LIGHT was decreased in RA patients
Summary
T lymphocytes require both co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signals to be fully activated. Three proteins expressed on the surface of T lymphocytes were identified: B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) and LIGHT ( known as tumor necrosis factor superfamily 14) [2, 3]. The interactions among these three proteins produce both co-inhibitory and co-stimulatory signals and modulate the activation, proliferation and immune function of T lymphocytes [4]. HVEM, as mentioned previously, contributes to both the co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory pathways [13] This type-1 transmembrane protein functions by binding with its ligands, such as BTLA and LIGHT [14]. The LIGHT/HVEM/BTLA co-signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA, reports on the expression levels of LIGHT, HVEM and BTLA in T lymphocytes from RA patients are limited
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