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Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by altered immune tolerance and persistent production of autoantibodies. This study aimed to investigate the composition of the CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (Tcyt) subpopulation and determine the clinical significance of the identified changes in systemic lupus erythematosus.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the composition of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (Tcyt) subpopulations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to assess the clinical significance of the identified changes in these subpopulations. Specifically, the study aimed to correlate the alterations in Tcyt composition with disease markers and clinical manifestations, providing insights into their roles in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Methods: The study included 50 patients with SLE and a control group of 50 healthy individuals. Flow cytometry was used to identify subpopulations of peripheral blood T cells. T lymphocytes were determined using antibodies against CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+. Antibodies against CD45RA and CD62L were employed to determine the Tcyt subpopulations. The major Tcyt subpopulations were identified based on the expression of receptors CCR4, CCR6, CXCR3, and CXCR5: type 1 cytotoxic T cells (Tc1), type 2 (Tc2), type 17 (Tc17), type 17 and 1 (Tc17.1), type 17/22 (Tc17.22), and follicular cytotoxic T lymphocytes (Tfc).
Results: The absolute and relative values of Tcyt counts, naïve Tcyt, as well as central memory and effector Tcyt in the SLE patient group were statistically significantly higher than in the control group. Furthermore, the SLE patient group exhibited a statistically significant decrease in the relative content of Tc1, Tc17.1, and Tfc1, along with a statistically significant increase in the relative content of Tc2, Tfc17, and Tfc17.1 compared to the control group. A statistically significant positive correlation was found for the number of Tc1 (r=0.501, p<0.05; r=0.497, p<0.05) and a statistically significant negative correlation with Tc2 (r=–0.402, p<0.05; r=–0.522, p<0.05) concerning the levels of complement components C3 and C4. Additionally, a correlation was observed between the number of Tfc17 and Tfc17.1 and the level of IgG (r=–0.537, p<0.05; r=–0.499, p<0.05), while Tfc1 correlated with the level of antibodies against double-stranded DNA (r=–0.402; p<0.05) and Tfc1 with the level of antibodies against double-stranded DNA (r=–0.397; p<0.05).
Conclusion: The relative and absolute values of Tcyt subpopulations in peripheral blood of patients with SLE differ significantly compared to the control group. Elevated levels of Tc2 in SLE are associated with markers of disease activity. These findings underscore the important role of Tc2 in the pathogenesis of SLE, while Tc1, Tc17, Tc17.1, and Tfc subpopulations likely play regulatory functions.
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Acknowledgements: NIL.
Disclosure of Interests: None declared.
© The Authors 2025. This abstract is an open access article published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases under the CC BY-NC-ND license (