Abstract: Objective To investigate the changes of circulating follicular helper T (cTfh) cells in the elderly patients with T-cell lymphoma. Methods A total of 55 patients with T-cell lymphoma, 55 healthy controls and 55 patients treated with drugs were recruited in the study. The molecular markers (CD134) related to the surface of cTfh cells in each group were detected by the latest flow cytometry. The expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-21 secreted by the molecular markers related to the surface of cTfh cells in each group was detected and compared. Results The results of flow cytometry analysis showed that the proportion of CD134 in peripheral blood of the patients with T-cell lymphoma was higher than that of health control group and drug treatment group (P<0.05). The levels of serum IL-21 and IL-4 in the drug treatment group were significantly lower than those in the T-cell lymphoma group, but still higher than those in the healthy control group (P<0.05). Conclusions CTfh cells and cytokines may play an important role in the pathogenesis of immune response in the elderly patients with T-cell lymphoma.

Key words: circulating follicular helper T, T-cell lymphoma, interleukin-21, interleukin-4