A flow cytometry gating strategy for profiling CD4+CD25+/high CD127-/low regulatory T cells in the Rheumatoid Arthritis scenario.

Regulatory T cells (tregs) has been consider as a potential biomarker in rheumatologic clinical trials as this cell population has been shown to be involved in the autoimmune diseases outcome. Human tregs are defined as CD4⁺CD25^{+/ high}CD127^-/low cells; however its accurate identification by flow cytometry has been argued, especially as a result of different gating strategies. A flow cytometry gating strategy was settled to measure human Tregs from PBMC isolated via density gradient using CPT tubes. With this method we performed a standardized procedure for treg profiling, useful for immunomonitoring in clinicals assessment.