Double-negative T cells were associated with disease severity and
autoantibody production in children with systemic lupus erythematosus
Abstract
Objective: Double-negative T cells (DNTs) were significantly elevated in
autoimmune diseases and were thought to play an important role in
inflammation. The purpose of this study was to explore its important
role in children with systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Methods: The
DNTs, T and B cell subsets of peripheral blood were detected by flow
cytometry in 78 patients, and clinical and laboratory data of cSLE
patients were collected to analyze the correlation between DNTs and the
above indexes. The changes of DNTs after glucocorticoids were detected,
and the effects of different doses of glucocorticoids on DNTs were
analyzed. Results: DNTs was significantly increased in peripheral blood
of cSLE patients. DNTs were associated with SLE disease severity and
organ involvement, as well as with the production of autoantibodies,
Naive B cell and plasmablast cells. The level of DNTs increased after
low-dose glucocorticoid treatment, but the proportion of DNTs gradually
decreased with the increase of glucocorticoid dose. Conclusion: DNTs was
positively correlated with disease severity in cSLE patients, and the
effect of glucocorticoid dose on DNTs was different.