Evaluation of hydroxychloroquine effect on the expression of tissue factor in inflammatory monocytes

• Grant number: 16/23429-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Joyce Maria Annichino-Bizzacchi
• Grantee: Cleyse Maria Santos Messias
• Host Institution: Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia (HEMOCENTRO). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Monocytes are large cells formed in bone marrow mononuclear forming part of the system. They play a key role in innate immunity by stimulating cell reaction (inflammation), and acting in response to microorganisms. In normal monocytes express in their few surface amounts of tissue factor (TF), however, in pathological situations, this expression increases, exposing the FT to blood flow, initiating the coagulation cascade, which may result in the formation of thrombi. The hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an antimalarial drug that is currently used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis. Several clinical studies have shown that HCQ may decrease the risk of thrombosis in patients with SLE, however, their mechanisms are not quite clear. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the HCQ can control the inflammatory activity of monocytes by regulating the FT protein expression on the surface of these cells and inhibition of transcription of the FT gene in order to better understand the mechanisms used by this drug, which may have implications for the prophylaxis of thrombotic events in patients with autoimmune diseases such as SLE. (AU)