Transcription factor and cytokine profiles in peripheral blood T helper cells in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a debilitating lung disease with poor prognosis. The fibrotic process is not fully understood but involves immune cell activation. The expression of T cell subtype-specific transcription factors involved in Th1, Th2, Th17 and T regulatory (Treg) differentiation in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis is poorly understood. Objective To explore the presence of T helper cell transcription factors and related cytokine profiles in IPF patients. Methods 12 IPF patients and 8 healthy subjects (HC) were enrolled at the Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran-Iran between 10–10 and 09–12 2022. Serum levels of the fibrosis-associated mediators IP-10, TNF-α, TGF-β, CXCL-8 and IFN-γ were measured by ELISA. Immunophenotyping of T helper cells combined transcription factor (T-bet, GATA-3, ROR-γt and FOXP3) presence and the intracellular expression of IL-4 and IL-17 using flow cytometry. Results The serum levels of TGF-β (P = 0.001), CXCL-8 (P = 0.0005), TNF-α (P = 0.0312) and IFN-γ (P = 0.0313) were significantly higher and that of IP-10 (P < 0.0001) significantly lower in IPF patients compared to HC. No significant differences in the expression of T-bet (p = 0.64), GATA3 (p = 0.63), ROR-γt (p = 0.19) and FOXP3 (p = 0.11) were found. The intracellular expression of IL-17 (P = 0.0011) was higher in IPF patients. A positive correlation between T-bet and GATA3 (P = 0.006, R = 0.738), IL-4 and ROR-γt (P = 0.044, R = 0.586) and between TNF-α with age (P = 0.007, R = 0.726) and a negative correlation between age with FOXP3 (P = 0.0017, R=-0.801) was demonstrated. Conclusion T-cell transcription factors were not altered in IPF patients. The expression of IP-10 may be an additional marker for IPF.