Th17 cells and CD4(+) multifunctional T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Imbalance of helper T cell type 1, helper T cell type 2 and associated cytokines in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A meta-analysis

Objective: Th1 and Th2 cells and their associated cytokines function in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but their exact roles are uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis to examine the relationship of these cells and cytokines with SLE.

Methods: Multiple databases were searched to identify publications that reported the percentages of Th1 and Th2 cells and their associated cytokines in SLE patients and healthy controls (HCs). Meta-analysis was performed using Stata MP version 16.

Results: SLE patients had a lower percentage of Th1 cells, a higher percentage of Th2 cells, and higher levels of Th1- and Th2-associated cytokines than HCs. SLE treatments normalized some but not all of these indicators. For studies in which the proportion of females was less than 94%, the percentage of Th2 cells and the level of IL-10 were higher in patients than HCs. SLE patients who had abnormal kidney function and were younger than 30 years old had a higher proportion of Th1 cells than HCs. SLE patients more than 30 years old had a higher level of IL-6 than HCs.

Conclusion: Medications appeared to restore the balance of Th1 cells and other disease indicators in patients with SLE. Gender and age affected the levels of Th1 and Th2 cells, and the abnormally elevated levels of Th2 cells appear to be more pronounced in older patients and males.

Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42022296540].

Interleukin-35 in autoimmune dermatoses: Current concepts

Interleukin-35 (IL-35) is a lately observed cytokine and is part of the IL-12 cytokine family. IL-35 includes two subunits, p35 and Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3, and activates subsequent signaling pathways by binding to receptors to mediate signal transduction, thereby modulating the immunoregulatory functions of T cells, B cells, macrophages, and other immune cell types. Although there is currently limited research on the roles of IL-35 in human autoimmunity, many studies have demonstrated that IL-35 may mediate immunosuppression. Therefore, it plays an essential role in some autoimmune dermatoses, including systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, systemic sclerosis, and dermatomyositis. We will introduce the structure and biological characteristics of IL-35 and summarize its effects on the occurrence and development of autoimmune dermatoses in this article. It is suggested that IL-35 is a possible target for therapy in the aforementioned diseases.

Flow Cytometric Analyses of Lymphocyte Markers in Immune Oncology: A Comprehensive Guidance for Validation Practice According to Laws and Standards

Many anticancer therapies such as antibody-based therapies, cellular therapeutics (e.g., genetically modified cells, regulators of cytokine signaling, and signal transduction), and other biologically tailored interventions strongly influence the immune system and require tools for research, diagnosis, and monitoring. In flow cytometry, in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test kits that have been compiled and validated by the manufacturer are not available for all requirements. Laboratories are therefore usually dependent on modifying commercially available assays or, most often, developing them to meet clinical needs. However, both variants must then undergo full validation to fulfill the IVD regulatory requirements. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping is a multiparametric analysis of parameters, some of which have to be repeatedly adjusted; that must be considered when developing specific antibody panels. Careful adjustments of general rules are required to meet legal and regulatory requirements in the analysis of these assays. Here, we describe the relevant regulatory framework for flow cytometry-based assays and describe methods for the introduction of new antibody combinations into routine work including development of performance specifications, validation, and statistical methodology for design and analysis of the experiments. The aim is to increase reliability, efficiency, and auditability after the introduction of in-house-developed flow cytometry assays.

Immunoregulation of NKT Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease with different variety of clinical manifestations. Natural killer T (NKT) cells are innate lymphocytes that play a regulatory role during broad range of immune responses. A number of studies demonstrated that the quantity and quality of invariant NKT (iNKT) cells showed marked defects in SLE patients in comparison to healthy controls. This finding suggests that iNKT cells may play a regulatory role in the occurrence and development of this disease. In this review, we mainly summarized the most recent findings about the behavior of NKT cells in SLE patients and mouse models, as well as how NKT cells affect the proportion of T helper cells and the production of autoreactive antibodies in the progress of SLE. This will help people better understand the role of NKT cells in the development of SLE and improve the therapy strategy.