Background/Purpose: Our objective was to examine the frequency and phenotype of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood of early RA (eRA) patients.

Methods: CD4+ T cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of 33 eRA patients and 33 healthy controls (HC), and from the synovial fluid of 20 established RA patients (RASF), by ficoll-hypaque gradient and magnetical negative selection. After polyclonal stimulation, the frequency of Th17 and Th1 cells was determined by flow cytometry and concentrations of IL-17, IFN-g, TNF-a and IL-10 were measured by ELISA in cell-free supernatants.

Results: When all of our eRA patients were analyzed together, a significantly lower percentage of circulating Th17 cells and a lower CD4-derived IL-17 secretion were observed in comparison with HC. However, after stratifying by anti-CCP antibody status, circulating Th17 cells were decreased in anti-CCP(+) but not in anti-CCP(-)-eRA. All Th17 cells were CD45RO+CD45RA- and CCR6+. Dual Th17/Th1 cells were also exclusively decreased in anti-CCP(+)-eRA. Circulating Th17 and Th17/Th1 cells were negatively correlated with anti-CCP titres. When anti-CCP(+)-eRA patients were retested one year after initiating treatment with oral methotrexate, their circulating Th17 frequency was no longer different from HC. Of note, the percentage of circulating Th1 cells and the secretion of CD4-derived IFN-g, TNF-a and IL-10 were not different between eRA patients and HC. In RASF, both Th17 and Th1 cells were increased when compared with blood.

Conclusion: Decreased circulating Th17 levels in eRA seem to be a marker of anti-CCP seropositivity, and return to levels observed in healthy controls after treatment with methotrexate.

---

« Back to 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/decreased-frequency-of-th17-cells-in-early-rheumatoid-arthritis/