Recently, a new subgroup of T cells, named peripheral helper T (Tph) cells, has been implicated in autoimmune pathogenesis. An imbalance of Tph cell subsets influences the severity of immune-related diseases. However, the characteristics and roles of Tph cell subsets in psoriasis remain unknown. Programmed cell death 1-positive, chemokine C-X-C receptor (CXCR) 5-negative Tph cells can be divided into 3 subgroups based on differential expression of chemokine CXCR3 and chemokine C-C receptor (CCR) 6. CXCR3⁺CCR6⁻ Tph cells are classified as Tph1, CXCR3⁻CCR6⁻ Tph cells are classified as Tph2, and CXCR3⁻CCR6⁺ Tph cells are classified as Tph17. In this study, conditions of circulating Tph cell subsets and CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ follicular helper T (Tfh) cells in 27 patients with psoriasis and 13 healthy individuals were detected by flow cytometry. The level of plasma chemokine C-X-C ligand (CXCL) 13 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlations between the above indexes and disease severity were explored. In the peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis, Tph17 cells had an activated, proliferative phenotype; the quantity of the cells correlated with disease severity. Plasma CXCL13 levels were elevated in psoriasis and associated with disease severity and the frequency of Tph17 cells. CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ Tfh cells were increased in patients and positively correlated with disease severity, the frequency of Tph17 cells, and plasma CXCL13 levels. Our results suggest that Tph17 cells and the CXCL13/CXCR5 axis may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and represent new immunotherapeutic targets for treating psoriasis.

最近，一种新的 T 细胞亚群，称为外周辅助 T (Tph) 细胞，与自身免疫发病机制有关。Tph 细胞亚群的失衡会影响免疫相关疾病的严重程度。然而，Tph 细胞亚群在银屑病中的特征和作用仍然未知。程序性细胞死亡 1 阳性、趋化因子 CXC 受体 (CXCR) 5 阴性 Tph 细胞根据趋化因子 CXCR3 和趋化因子 CC 受体 (CCR) 6 的差异表达可分为 3 个亚组。CXCR3 ⁺ CCR6 ^- Tph 细胞被分类为 Tph1 , CXCR3 ^- CCR6 ^- Tph 细胞被归类为 Tph2 和 CXCR3 ^- CCR6 ⁺Tph 细胞被归类为 Tph17。本研究通过流式细胞仪检测了 27 名银屑病患者和 13 名健康个体的循环 Tph 细胞亚群和 CD4 ⁺ CXCR5 ⁺滤泡辅助 T (Tfh) 细胞的情况。通过酶联免疫吸附测定法测量血浆趋化因子CXC配体（CXCL）13的水平。探讨上述指标与疾病严重程度的相关性。在银屑病患者的外周血中，Tph17 细胞具有活化的增殖表型；细胞数量与疾病严重程度相关。银屑病患者血浆 CXCL13 水平升高，并与疾病严重程度和 Tph17 细胞频率相关。CD4 ⁺ CXCR5 ⁺Tfh 细胞在患者中增加，并与疾病严重程度、Tph17 细胞频率和血浆 CXCL13 水平呈正相关。我们的研究结果表明，Tph17 细胞和 CXCL13/CXCR5 轴可能参与了银屑病的发病机制，并代表了治疗银屑病的新免疫治疗靶点。