OBJECTIVES: A defined role for natural killer (NK) cells and their activating receptors in autoimmunity has not been clearly established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the CD3-CD56+ NK cells and their expression of receptors and co-receptors in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic autoimmune disorders. METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with systemic sclerosis (SSc), 14 with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), 14 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 14 healthy donors were studied. The activating receptors NKp46, NKp44, NKp30, NKG2D, and DNAM-1 and the co-receptors NTB-A and 2B4 were analysed by flow cytometry on peripheral blood NK cells. RESULTS: In SSc, AAV, and SLE we detected a significant decrease in the percentage of CD3-CD56+ NK cells compared to healthy controls. No differences in the expression of NKp46, NKp44, and NKp30 were identified. On the contrary, NKG2D and DNAM-1 expression was decreased in SLE, but not in SSc and AAV, NTB-A was decreased in SLE, and 2B4 in both SLE and SSc. No differences were detected between active and inactive SLE patients. In SSc, only patients affected by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) had a low expression of DNAM-1, 2B4, and NKp30. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that patients with different systemic autoimmune diseases differ in the expression of activating receptors and co-receptors on CD3-CD56+ NK cells. The down-regulation of receptors and co-receptors in SSc with lung involvement suggests their possible role in this manifestation of the disease.
OBJECTIVES: A defined role for natural killer (NK) cells and their activating receptors in autoimmunity has not been clearly established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of the CD3-CD56+ NK cells and their expression of receptors and co-receptors in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic autoimmune disorders. METHODS: Thirty-four subjects with systemic sclerosis (SSc), 14 with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), 14 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 14 healthy donors were studied. The activating receptors NKp46, NKp44, NKp30, NKG2D, and DNAM-1 and the co-receptors NTB-A and 2B4 were analysed by flow cytometry on peripheral blood NK cells. RESULTS: In SSc, AAV, and SLE we detected a significant decrease in the percentage of CD3-CD56+ NK cells compared to healthy controls. No differences in the expression of NKp46, NKp44, and NKp30 were identified. On the contrary, NKG2D and DNAM-1 expression was decreased in SLE, but not in SSc and AAV, NTB-A was decreased in SLE, and 2B4 in both SLE and SSc. No differences were detected between active and inactive SLEpatients. In SSc, only patients affected by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) had a low expression of DNAM-1, 2B4, and NKp30. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that patients with different systemic autoimmune diseases differ in the expression of activating receptors and co-receptors on CD3-CD56+ NK cells. The down-regulation of receptors and co-receptors in SSc with lung involvement suggests their possible role in this manifestation of the disease.
Authors: Katalin Kis-Toth; Denis Comte; Maria P Karampetsou; Vasileios C Kyttaris; Lakshmi Kannan; Cox Terhorst; George C Tsokos Journal: Arthritis Rheumatol Date: 2016-01 Impact factor: 10.995
Authors: K Hudspeth; S Wang; J Wang; S Rahman; M A Smith; K A Casey; Z Manna; M Sanjuan; R Kolbeck; S Hasni; R Ettinger; R M Siegel Journal: Clin Exp Immunol Date: 2019-03-19 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Abel Suárez-Fueyo; Sean J Bradley; Takayuki Katsuyama; Sarah Solomon; Eri Katsuyama; Vasileios C Kyttaris; Vaishali R Moulton; George C Tsokos Journal: J Immunol Date: 2018-03-30 Impact factor: 5.422