The expression of PD1 in peripheral blood T cells of patients with multiple sclerosis

FU Zenghui; JIANG Yan; LIU Jing; LIN Zaihong; DU Shu; ZHANG Guangping; JIN Yan

doi:10.13431/j.cnki.immunol.j.20190066

Abstract：To explore the expression and clinical significance of programmed death molecule 1 (PD1) in peripheral blood T cells of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 39 cases of relapse-remission MS patients in acute episode were recruited and 39 healthy individuals were treated as controls. Changes in plasma IL-17 and IL-23 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay, and PD1 expression (MFI and percentage) on peripheral blood T cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). Furthermore, MS patients were evaluated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and the number of cranial lesions was observed by enhanced MRI. Data showed that PD1 expression (MFI and percentage), IL-17 and IL-23 levels, EDSS score and the number of cranial lesions were all higher in untreated MS patients, as compared with healthy controls (P<0.05); the expression levels of PD1 (MFI and percentage), IL-17 and IL-23 levels, and EDSS scores were higher in MS patients before treatment compared with post-treatment (P<0.05). Before treatment, PD1 expression (MFI and percentage) in MS patients were positively correlated with IL-17 and IL-23 levels, EDSS score and the number of cranial lesions, respectively (P<0.05). Taken together, PD1 expression in peripheral blood T cells is increased in MS patients during acute onset, and is correlated with IL-17 and IL-23 inflammatory cytokines, thus may play an important role in MS severity and disease progression.