CD4 T lymphocyte subsets display heterogeneous susceptibility to apoptosis induced by serum from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Abstract Background Serum from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients has been shown to induce T-lymphocyte (TL) apoptosis. Given that different cells of the immune system display different sensitivity to apoptosis, we set to evaluate the in vitro effect of SLE serum on regulatory T-cells (Treg), Th17, Th1 and Th2 from SLE patients and healthy controls. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from SLE patients or normal controls were exposed to a pool of sera from SLE patients or normal controls. Annexin V was used to label cells in apoptosis or necrosis. Annexin V-labeled Treg, Th17, Th1 and Th2 cells were determined using flow cytometry. Results Total CD3 + and CD4 + cells from SLE patients showed higher frequency of spontaneous apoptosis/necrosis, whereas Th1 cells from SLE patients presented reduced spontaneous apoptosis/necrosis rate as compared with cells from controls. Incubation with SLE serum induced increased frequency of apoptotic/necrotic CD3 + , CD4 + and Th2 cells from normal controls or from SLE patients as compared with cultures incubated with normal human serum (NHS) or without human serum at all. Incubation with SLE serum did not increase the apoptosis/necrosis rate in Th1 or Th17 cells. Treg cells from SLE patients were more prone to apoptosis/necrosis induced by SLE serum than Treg cells from normal individuals. Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells presented increased apoptosis rates in cultures without human serum. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the serum of patients with active SLE stimulates apoptosis of CD4 + T cells in general and exhibit differentiated effects on CD4 + T-cell subsets.