Relationship of CD146 expression to activation of circulating T cells: exploratory studies in healthy donors and patients with connective tissue diseases. (8th September 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hadjinicolaou, A. V.; Wu, L.; Fang, B.; Watson, P. A.; Hall, F. C.; Busch, R.
• Is Part Of: Clinical and experimental immunology. Volume 174:Number 1(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 73
• Page End: 88
• Publication Date: 2013-09-08
• Subjects: Immunopathology -- Periodicals; 616.079
• DOI: 10.1111/cei.12151
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-9104

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>The endothelial cell adhesion molecule, CD146, is expressed on ≈ 2% of normal circulating T cells, correlating with T cell activation, endothelial interactions and T helper type 17 (Th17) effector functions. In this study, we have characterized CD146 expression in circulating T cells from healthy controls and patients with stable, well‐controlled autoimmune connective tissue diseases (CTDs). <italic>In vitro</italic>, anti‐CD3/anti‐CD28 stimulation induced CD146 expression in both CD4 and CD8 T cells. In healthy controls and CTD patients, CD146 was associated with expression of recent and chronic activation markers (CD25<sup>+</sup>, OX‐40<sup>+</sup>, CD69<sup>+</sup>, CD27<sup>–</sup>) and was confined to CD45RO<sup>+</sup>/RA<sup>–</sup>/CD28<sup>+</sup> populations within the CD4 subset. Except for CD69, these markers were not associated with CD146 in the CD8 subset. Surprisingly, most CTD patients exhibited no T cell hyperactivation <italic>ex vivo</italic>. In five of five patients with secondary Sjögren's syndrome circulating T cells appeared activated despite therapy, and CD146 up‐regulation, associated with activation markers, was observed both on CD4 and CD8 T cells. There was no association between CD146 and putative pro‐atherogenic T cell subsets. In conclusion, the relationship of CD146 expression to T cell activation differs between T cell subsets in healthy subjects and correlates with systemic hyperactivity, where present, in patients with CTDs, as exemplified by the patients with secondary Sjögren's syndrome in this study.</p> </abstract>