The role of follicular T helper cells in patients with malignant lymphoid disease

作者:Zhou, Dong-Ming; Xu, Yan-Xia; Zhang, Li-Ying; Sun, Yu; Wang, Zi-Yan; Yuan, Yu-Qing; Fu, Jin-Xiang*
来源:Hematology, 2017, 22(7): 412-418.
DOI:10.1080/10245332.2017.1300623

摘要

Objectives: To investigate the dynamic change of follicular T helper cells (T-FH) in patients with malignant lymphoid disease (MLD) and to explore its clinical significance. @@@ Methods: The dynamic change of T-FH cells, ICOS+- and PD-1(+) T-FH cells at pretreatment and different treatment periods was determined by flow cytometry in 85 MLD patients. Concentration of interleukin 21 (IL-21) was evaluated by ELISA, and the correlation between clinical prognosis and the ratio of TFH cells was analyzed. @@@ Results: Significantly increased ICOS+- and PD-1(+) T-FH cells were found in MLD patients at pretreatment compared to healthy controls. Decreased or even close to normal levels of ICOS+- and PD-1(+) T-FH cells were found at the end of treatment. However, in the patients with progressive disease, high levels of ICOS+- and PD-1(+) T-FH cells were found. Moreover, a significantly increased plasma IL-21 level was found in MLD patients. Negative correlation was found between the level of ICOS+-, PD-1(+) T-FH cells, as well as IL-21 and the prognosis of MLD. @@@ Conclusions: Significantly increased T-FH cell ratios were found in patients with MLD, and decreased T-FH cells ratios could be expected in those treatment-effective patients, which could be used as the therapeutic efficacy index.