Expression and significance of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of patients with different phenotypes of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the changes of immune status and significance in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

Methods: The proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood before immunotherapy for 41 patients with GBS (including 29 classic type and 12 variant type) and 42 normal control patients (healthy volunteers) were evaluated by flow cytometry. And molybdenum three phenol red method was used to detect cerebrospinal fluid protein content of 28 patients with GBS (including 19 with classic type and 9 with variant type).

Results: Compared with healthy control group, the CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) of GBS group had obvious difference (P<0.05). Of which, the CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) regulatory T cells of the classic GBS group had no significant changes compared with the variant group (P>0.05), as well as the cerebrospinal fluid protein content between classic and variant GBS groups. The decrease of the proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-) regulatory T cells suggested abnormal expression of immune function in GBS patients.

Conclusion: The decrease of GBS regulatory T cell number or function indicated that the immune regulatory T cells mediated imbalance of immune regulation involved in the pathogenesis of GBS.