Analysis of apoptosis and cell cycle of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with ankylosing spondylitis

摘要

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an autoimmune disease. Changes of immune cells are associated with AS disease progression. However, apoptosis and cell cycle of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in AS patients remains unclear. Peripheral blood from patients with active and stable AS, and healthy controls were collected for isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and naive T cells (Tn). Tn cells were cultured in vitro for analysis of cell proliferation by MTT assay, apoptosis, cell cycle, CD4+, Treg, and CD8+ T cells by flow cytometry, as well as the secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) by ELISA. Compared with the control group, proliferation of Tn cells in active and stable AS patients was significantly increased, cell apoptosis was decreased, cell cycle G2/M ratio was decreased, proportion of CD4+ T cells was increased, proportion of Treg cells was decreased, secretion of IFN-gamma was increased and secretion of IL-4 and IL-10 were decreased (P<0.05). The changes in the above parameters were more significant in active AS patients compared with the stable AS patients (P<0.01). The proliferation of Tn cells in AS patients increased. Apoptosis of Tn cells in AS patients decreased. The cell cycle is changed significantly. The classification of lymphocyte subsets is changed significantly, with more significant changes in the active phase, which was closely related to AS progression.