Decreased levels of T follicular helper (CD4+CXCR5+) cells and CD27+CD38+ and CD27+CD38− B cells in ankylosing spondylitis patients correlate with markers of inflammation
2023 (English)In: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, ISSN 0300-9475, E-ISSN 1365-3083, Vol. 97, no 1, article id e13235Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The purpose of this study was to study CD4+CXCR5+ T follicular helper (TFH) cells, CD27+CD38+ plasmablasts and CD27+CD38− memory B cells, as well as disease-related factors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) from northern Sweden. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 50 patients with AS (mean age 52 ± 9 years, 66% men, 100% HLA-B27 positive) and 50 pairwise matched blood donor controls (mean age 54 ± 9 years, 66% men) were stained with antibodies for CD27, CD38, CD19, CD3, CD4 and CXCR5 markers and analysed by flow cytometry. Patients with AS were examined with spinal x-ray for radiographic alterations (mSASSS), and plasma levels of C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as well as selected proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines were determined. Physical mobility, function and disease activity were registered by BASMI, BASFI and ASDAS-CRP, BASDAI, respectively. Comparing AS patients and controls pairwise, we observed a 56% reduction of TFH cells in PBMCs from AS patients (P =.000008). Furthermore, a 20%-30% reduction in plasmablasts and B memory cells (P ≤.002 and P ≤.007, respectively) was observed. In female patients, negative correlations between ESR and TFH, plasmablasts and B memory cells were observed; Rs = −0.551, P ≤.02; Rs = −0.476, P ≤.05 and Rs = −0.522, P ≤.03, respectively. In addition, positive correlations between the regulatory cytokine IL-10 and the proportion of B cells, IL-22, and the proportion of plasmablasts as well as a negative correlation between levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and TFH were detected. Our observations indicate a role of an aberrant humoral immune response related to inflammation in AS.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
John Wiley & Sons, 2023. Vol. 97, no 1, article id e13235
Keywords [en]
ankylosing spondylitis, memory B cells, plasmablasts, radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, TFH
National Category
Immunology in the medical area Clinical Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-201478DOI: 10.1111/sji.13235ISI: 000889655600001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85142643347OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-201478DiVA, id: diva2:1716441
Funder
Stiftelsen Konung Gustaf V:s 80-årsfond, FAI2017-0454Region Västerbotten, ALFVLL-640251Swedish Research Council, 2016-020352022-12-062022-12-062025-02-18Bibliographically approved