Background: Much research has been done in the recent years to establish an association between obesity, metabolic syndrome and the immune system. Numerous data suggest that the decreased number and/or function of regulatory T cells (Treg cells) can lead to chronic minimal inflammation present in patients with obesity and trigger formation of atherosclerotic plaque.
Aim: To generate Treg cells from the peripheral blood in children meeting the diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome.
Methods: A total of 25 children with metabolic syndrome and 25 controls were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood was collected, CD4(+)/CD25(-) cells were separated and cultured for 4 weeks in the presence of a Treg expander (CD3/CD28) and interleukin-2. The expression of the transcription factor FoxP3 as a Treg marker was assessed before and after culture using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry.
Results: Before the culture we observed a slightly lower percentage of Treg cells in children with metabolic syndrome vs controls. After the culture we noted a significant increase in mRNA expression and in the percentage of FoxP3-positive cells. We observed no differences in the results between the children with metabolic syndrome and the controls.
Conclusions: Our study shows that it is possible to generate Treg cells from peripheral blood of children with metabolic syndrome. In future, these findings could be used to develop a model of immunotherapeutic intervention for patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.