The expression of TIGIT on peripheral CD4 + T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and its significance

HUANG Zikun; LUO Zhongqin; LI Xue; LUO Qing

doi:10.13431/j.cnki.immunol.j.20170091

Abstract：This study designed to investigate the expression of T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory domains (TIGIT) on peripheral CD4+ T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its significance,for clarifying its role in the development of SLE.The peripheral blood from 50 SLE patients and 27 healthy controls (HC) were collected and TIGIT expression in the CD4+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry.The expression level of TIGIT on CD4+ T cells were compared not only between SLE patients and HCs,but also between inactive SLE and active SLE.The correlations of TIGIT expression with laboratory index and course of SLE were analyzed.Data showed that the expression level of TIGIT on CD4+ T cells was significantly elevated in SLE patients compared to the healthy controls (P＜0.000 1);the expression level of TIGIT on CD4+ T cells was significantly elevated in active SLE patients compared to inactive SLE patients (P＜0.05);the expression level of TIGIT on CD4+ T cells was significantly higher in ones with positive anti-dsDNA/anti-Sm compared with corresponding negative ones (P＜0.05).Furthermore,the expression level of TIGIT on CD4+ T cells was positively correlate with the disease activity index (SLEDAI) score of SLE,urine microalbumin,urine IgG and urine transferrin (P＜0.05).In conclusion,the expression level of TIGIT on CD4+ T cells is elevated and associated with the disease activity,the production of antibodies and renal damage in SLE.