An increased expression of FoxP3 mRNA and a higher frequency of CD25+ regulatory cells were found in all patients who responded to cytapheresis but this was not found in a nonresponder patient. Variations in TGF-beta (mRNA) did not parallel those of FoxP3 mRNA. It is suggested that the quantification of FoxP3 in CD4+ T cells of treated patients may be used as a valuable index in these conditions.

Greystone Associates Report Analyzes Clinical, Regulatory and Therapeutic Factors Driving Growth of Powerful New Drugs Based on the Human Immune Response

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an inflammatory autoimmune disease, tend to die younger and, largely from cardiovascular disease (CVD). One explanation for this increasingly recognized fact is that inflammation promotes atherosclerosis. A marker of inflammation, elevation of the C-reactive protein (CRP) level has been shown to predict CVD in the general population.