Combined use of etanercept and MTX restores CD4+/CD8+ ratio and Tregs in spleen and thymus in collagen-induced arthritis

Objective To further explore the mechanism of etanercept (ENT, rhTNFR:Fc) and methotrexate (MTX) in the combined treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we investigated whether thymic and splenic T-cell subsets and their related cytokines imbalance could be restored by ETN/MTX treatment.