This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
T follicular cells may indicate onset of autoimmune disease activity
The elevation of T follicular helper cells may be indicative of early disease activity in patients with positive anti-nuclear antibodies, according to recently presented research.
Researchers recruited 63 patients with positive serum anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA+), or titers of 1:160 or greater, as well as 27 healthy participants with no history of autoimmune disease.
ANA+ patients included 19 asymptomatic patients, 12 with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) and 32 with active, defined autoimmune disease, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All patients were steroid- and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)-naïve.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and analyzed for extractable anti-nuclear antibodies (anti-centromere, anti-La, anti-Ro, anti-RNP, anti-Scl-70 and anti-Sm) and T follicular helper cells (CD4+, CXCR5high and PD-1high).
A significant elevation of T follicular helper cells was seen in patients compared with controls, according to the researchers. Patients with UCTD showed higher counts of T follicular helper cells compared with asymptomatic ANA+ participants, and patients with defined autoimmune disease showed increased proportions of the cells; however, the difference was not significant. Forty-five patients with ANA titers of 1:640 or greater showed statistically higher levels of T follicular helper cells than the nine participants with lower levels of ANAs. Linear regression analysis revealed a positive correlation with the levels of T follicular helper cells and the levels of antibodies present in the samples.
The researchers concluded that T follicular helper cells may be a potential target for therapeutic interventions as a preventive measure against developing an active autoimmune disease in ANA+ patients. - by Shirley Pulawski
Reference:
Rusta-Sallehy S, et al. Paper #1. Presented at: Canadian Rheumatology Association Annual Meeting. Feb. 4-7, 2015; Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.