Sigong Zhang1, Haili Shen1, Xiaoming Shu2, Qinglin Peng2, Guochun Wang2. 1. a Department of Rheumatology , Lanzhou University Second Hospital , Lanzhou , China and. 2. b Department of Rheumatology , China-Japan Friendship Hospital , Beijing , China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We previously found that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) in dermatomyositis (DM) patients. However, it is unclear whether low-density granulocytes (LDGs), endowed with enhanced NET formation capabilities, contribute to the pathogenesis of ILD. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between LDGs and DM-associated ILD. METHODS: We recruited 48 DM patients (28 with ILD) as well as 19 healthy volunteers for this study. The percentage of LDGs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was ascertained by flow cytometry. Plasma cfDNA was measured by using the Quant-iT PicoGreen dsDNA Kit and plasma LL-37 was tested by using the LL-37 ELISA kit. RESULTS: The percentage of LDGs was 7.1 times higher in DM patients than in healthy controls. LDG percentage was 2.7 times higher in DM patients with ILD than in DM patients without ILD. Additionally, LDG percentage positively correlated with MYOACT lung disease activity scores, and NET/neutrophil-related marker levels (LL-37, cfDNA, MPO, and MMP-8) in the DM group were significantly higher than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The abnormal increase of LDGs may exacerbate abnormal NET regulation and further contribute to the pathogenesis of ILD in DM patients by abnormally forming NETs.
OBJECTIVE: We previously found that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) in dermatomyositis (DM) patients. However, it is unclear whether low-density granulocytes (LDGs), endowed with enhanced NET formation capabilities, contribute to the pathogenesis of ILD. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between LDGs and DM-associated ILD. METHODS: We recruited 48 DMpatients (28 with ILD) as well as 19 healthy volunteers for this study. The percentage of LDGs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was ascertained by flow cytometry. Plasma cfDNA was measured by using the Quant-iT PicoGreen dsDNA Kit and plasma LL-37 was tested by using the LL-37 ELISA kit. RESULTS: The percentage of LDGs was 7.1 times higher in DMpatients than in healthy controls. LDG percentage was 2.7 times higher in DMpatients with ILD than in DMpatients without ILD. Additionally, LDG percentage positively correlated with MYOACT lung disease activity scores, and NET/neutrophil-related marker levels (LL-37, cfDNA, MPO, and MMP-8) in the DM group were significantly higher than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The abnormal increase of LDGs may exacerbate abnormal NET regulation and further contribute to the pathogenesis of ILD in DMpatients by abnormally forming NETs.
Authors: Paulina Valadez-Cosmes; Kathrin Maitz; Oliver Kindler; Sofia Raftopoulou; Melanie Kienzl; Ana Santiso; Zala Nikita Mihalic; Luka Brcic; Jörg Lindenmann; Melanie Fediuk; Martin Pichler; Rudolf Schicho; A McGarry Houghton; Akos Heinemann; Julia Kargl Journal: Front Immunol Date: 2021-08-13 Impact factor: 7.561