Expressions of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and foxp3 in peripheral blood of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Objective: To explore the expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell (Treg) and Foxp3 in peripheral blood of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its clinical significance by performing a casecontrol study. Methods: Eighty-two COPD patients treated in our hospital from Jan 2013 to Jun 2014 were enrolled as case group and 76 healthy individuals as control group. All the subjects underwent pulmonary function testing. Expression of Treg in peripheral blood was detected by Flow cytometry (FCM); serum concentration was detected by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA); and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of Foxp3; finally related statistical analysis was carried out by using SPSS 18.0 software package. Results: A significant decrease of PEV1 and PEV1/FVC levels was found in patients with COPD when compared with control group (P < 0.01); comparing with control group, expressions of CD4+ Treg and CD4+CD25+ Treg were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), also the percentage of CD4+CD25+ Treg in CD4+ Treg was lower (P < 0.01); when compared to control group, the concentration of IL-10 and TGF-β was also decreased in COPD patients (P < 0.05); comparing with control group, expression of both Foxp3 mRNA and Foxp3 protein in COPD patients were significantly decreased (both P < 0.01). Conclusion: The population of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and serum concentration in patients with COPD were decreased and Foxp3 genetic expression decreased as well.