Associations between FOXP3/CTLA4, and regulatory T cells in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea symptoms

作者：Xie, Hairui; Shi, Jingxuan; Zeng, Qiyi; Liu, Dabo^*

来源：International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2017, 10(1): 853-862.

• FOXP3
• CTLA-4
• Treg
• obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome
• cytokine

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a common chronic respiratory disease in children, and chronic inflammationplaysan important role in its pathology. We investigated FOXP3 and CTLA-4 expression in OSAHS patients, the numbers of Treg cells in sections of tonsil tissue from OSAHS patients, and the possible association of FOXP3 and CTLA4 expression with the clinicopathological characteristics of OSAHS. We also examined the levels of TGF-beta, IL-10, and IL-35 expression in the OSAHS patients. Tonsils were obtained from 40 patients with OSAHS and 19 control patients undergoing a tonsillectomy after the subjects had provided their informed consent. The levels of FOXP3 and CTLA-4 expression were detected by qRT-PCR, and their correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics of OSAHS was examined. The numbers of Treg cells and their correlation with FOXP3/CTLA4 expression were evaluated by flow cytometric analyses. TGF-beta, IL-10, and IL-35 levels were quantified by ELISA. Our results showed that the levels of FOXP3 and CTLA4 expression in sections of tonsil tissue obtained from the OSAHS patients were significantly higher than those in sections of tonsil tissue obtained from the control patients. Furthermore, those expression levels were significantly correlated with allergic rhinitis, chronic tonsillitis, the apneahypopnea index (AHI), the obstructive apnea index (OAI), arterial oxygen saturation (SpO(2)), and immunoglobulin E(IgE) levels. The 40 OSAHS patients had significantly higher numbers of Treg cells than did the 19 non-apneiccontrol patients, and the numbers of Treg cells were significantly correlated with the levels of FOXP3 and CTLA4 expression. Additionally, the OSAHS patients showed significantly higher levels of TGF-beta and IL-10 expression when compared with those in the control patients, whereas the two groups of patients similar levels of IL-35. Our data clearly indicate that an inflammatory process contributes to the pathology of OSAHS, and suggest that activated T cells play a role in the pathophysiological aspects of OSAHS. Therefore, immunomodulatory therapies may guide the future clinical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

• 出版日期2017
• 单位广州市妇女儿童医疗中心; 南方医科大学