{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T20:02:28Z","timestamp":1791576148204,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,4]],"date-time":"2022-05-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1651622400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012166","name":"National Key Research and Development Program of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012166","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Immunol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study aimed to investigate the changes in quantity and function of T helper (Th)-like T regulatory (Treg) cell subsets in peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to understand their relationship with disease activity.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A total of 86 RA patients and 76 gender and age-matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. Th-like Treg frequency and function were determined using flow cytometry. The inhibitory function of Th-like Treg cells was detected using an <jats:italic>in vitro<\/jats:italic> co-culture suppression assay.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The proportion and absolute number of Th1-like Treg cells from RA PB and RA SF were significantly higher than those of HC PB. In RA SF, the proportions of Treg cells and Th1-like Treg cells were significantly lower in the elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or the C-Reactive Protein group, and in the positive groups of anti-CCP antibody and anti-MCV antibody. Additionally, the proportions of Treg cells and Th1-like Treg cells from RA SF were negatively correlated with disease activity. However, the expression levels of CD73 and TGF-\u03b21 in Th1-like Treg cells were decreased, and these Treg cells could not effectively inhibit the proliferation of effector T (Teff) cells.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Our data indicate that Th1-like Treg cells are the predominant Treg cell subset in RA SF, but their suppressive function is defective. Improving the function of Th1-like Treg cells may control inflammation in joints and provide new strategies for Treg-targeted therapies in RA.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2022.863753","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,4]],"date-time":"2022-05-04T07:19:53Z","timestamp":1651648793000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":26,"title":["Th1-Like Treg Cells Are Increased But Deficient in Function in Rheumatoid 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