The expression of Tim-3+CD4+CD25+Treg cells and the related factors in human Echinococcus granululosus infection

ZHAO Hui; WANG Liang; ZHANG Fengbo; ZHU Yuejie; PANG Nannan; AN Mengting; LI Bin; MA Xiumin; DING Jianbing

doi:10.13431/j.cnki.immunol.j.20180079

Abstract：This study was performed to explore the relationship between Tim-3 and CD4+CD25+Treg cells in Echinococcus granululosus infection and their roles in the development of the disease by detecting the expression of Tim-3+CD4+CD25+Treg cells and related factors in Echinococcus granululosus infected patients and healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of Tim-3+CD4+CD25+Treg cells in peripheral blood of 30 patients of Echinococcus granululosus and 30 healthy controls; Real-time fluorescent Quantitative PCR method was used for detecting the mRNA expression of Tim-3 and Foxp3 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells; while ELISA method was used to detect the serum levels of IL-10 and TGF-β. Then Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation between the expression of Tim-3 mRNA and Foxp3 mRNA and the correlation among the expression of Tim-3+CD4+CD25+Treg cells, IL-10 and TGF-β. Data showed that compared with healthy control, Echinococcus granululosus infection group demonstrated significant higher ratio of Tim-3+CD4+CD25+Treg cells in peripheral blood, significant higher mRNA levels of Tim-3 and Foxp3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and significant higher levels of IL-10 and TGF-β in serum. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of Tim-3 and Foxp3 were positively correlated; the ratio of Tim-3+CD4+CD25+Treg cells and the levels of TGF-β and IL-10 were also positively correlated. In conclusion, overexpression of Tim-3 on CD4+CD25+Treg cells surface may promote the production and function of CD4+CD25+Treg cells, which is benefit for sustainability development of human Echinococcus granululosus infection.