Relationship between FOXP3 positive populations and cytokine production in systemic lupus erythematosus

► CD25−FOXP3+ increment in SLE is related to disease progression and CD4+ downregulation. ► CD25highFOXP3+ cells are negatively correlated with Th-producing cells in healthy controls but not in SLE patients. ► Treg cells from lupus patients could “trans-differentiate” into Th17 cells.