Differential B- and T-cell activation in Wegener’s granulomatosis

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 103; no. 5; pp. 885 - 894
• Main Authors: Popa, Eliane R., Stegeman, Coen A., Bos, Nicolaas A., Kallenberg, Cees G.M., Tervaert, Jan Willem Cohen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.05.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: activation; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic - blood; B cells; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis - immunology; Humans; immunology; interleukin 2 receptors; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Subsets; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Receptors, Interleukin-2 - blood; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Solubility; T cells; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Wegener's granulomatosis; CRP; IIF; B cells; FACS; T cells; PR3; WG; sIL-2R; RF; ANCA; BVAS; activation; immunology; Wegener's granulomatosis; Human; Immune response; Pathophysiology; Cardiovascular disease; Wegener granulomatosis; Cellular immunity; B-Lymphocyte; Vascular disease; Vasculitis; Immunological investigation; Systemic disease; T-Lymphocyte; Humoral immunity
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/S0091-6749(99)70434-3

Background: Autoimmune mechanisms are postulated to play a role in the development and progression of Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG), a form of systemic, idiopathic necrotizing vasculitis. Objective: We investigated the relation between lymphocyte activation and disease activity in patients with WG. Methods: B- and T-lymphocyte activation was studied by cytometric assessment of the expression of the activation markers CD38 on B cells and CD25 and HLA-DR on CD4 + and CD8 + T-cell subsets, respectively. Activation at the cellular level was related to serum levels of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and soluble IL-2 receptor, which can be regarded as soluble activation markers of B and T cells. Results: Percentages of CD38 bright activated B cells were higher in patients with active WG than in patients experiencing disease remission ( P < .05) or in healthy control subjects ( P < .05). Percentages of activated CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were higher in patients with active WG (CD4 subset, P < .0001; CD8 subset, P < .005) than in healthy individuals. An increased percentage of activated T cells of both subsets was also seen in patients whose condition was in remission, as compared with healthy control subjects (CD4 subset, P < .0005; CD8 subset, P < .001). Lymphocyte activation at the cellular level did not correlate with plasma levels of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies or soluble IL-2 receptor. Conclusion: In WG, B-cell activation is related to active disease, whereas T-cell activation persists during remission of the disease, which points to an intrinsic disordered immune system in this disease. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:885-94.)