Peripheral immunophenotyping of AITD subjects reveals alterations in immune cells in pediatric vs adult-onset AITD

• Published in: iScience Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 103626
• Main Authors: Stensland, Zachary C., Coleman, Brianne M., Rihanek, Marynette, Baxter, Ryan M., Gottlieb, Peter A., Hsieh, Elena W.Y., Sarapura, Virginia D., Simmons, Kimber M., Cambier, John C., Smith, Mia J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 21.01.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cell biology; Immunological methods; Immunology; Cell biology; Immunological methods; Immunology
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103626

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is caused by aberrant activation of the immune system allowing autoreactive B and T cells to target the thyroid gland leading to disease. Although AITD is more frequently diagnosed in adults, children are also affected but rarely studied. Here, we performed phenotypic and functional characterization of peripheral blood immune cells from pediatric and adult-onset AITD patients and age-matched controls using mass cytometry. Major findings indicate that unlike adult-onset AITD patients, pediatric AITD patients exhibit a decrease in anergic B cells (BND) and DN2 B cells and an increase in immature B cells compared to age-matched controls. These results indicate alterations in peripheral blood immune cells seen in pediatric-onset AITD could lead to rapid progression of disease. Hence, this study demonstrates diversity of AITD by showing differences in immune cell phenotypes and function based on age of onset, and may inform future therapies. [Display omitted] •Penetrance of high-risk HLA-DR3 haplotype is higher in pediatric AITD patients•Pediatric AITD patients display altered frequency of autoreactive B cell subsets•Immune cell subset frequency and function is similar in adult AITD and controls Immunology; Immunological methods; Cell biology