Decreased recent thymus emigrant number is associated with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

Autor(es)

Vieira, Queila F. ^[1] ; Kayser, Cristiane ^[1] ; Kallas, Esper G. ^{[2, 3]} ; Andrade, Luis Eduardo C. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Div Rheumatol, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Div Infect Dis, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Div Clin Immunol & Allergy, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY; v. 35, n. 9, p. 1762-1767, SEP 2008.
• Citações Web of Science: 10

Resumo

Objective. T cell receptor excision circle (TREC) is produced during T cell maturation within the thymus, and the number of TREC-bearing cells reflects the proportion of recent thymic emigrants in the peripheral lymphocyte pool. We studied TREC levels in peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with quiescent and with active disease and in age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Methods. TREC levels in peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes were determined in 29 patients with quiescent SLE, in 22 with active disease, and in 31 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. The number of TREC/mu g DNA was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction gauged by a standard curve with known number of TREC-containing plasmids. Results. TREC levels in CD4+ and CD8+ cells were lower in patients with active SLE (2.27 +/- 2.05 X 10(4) and 4.14 +/- 4.06 X 10(4) TREC/mu g DNA, respectively) compared to quiescent SLE (5.83 +/- 7.41 X 10(4) and 11.24 +/- 15.06 x 10(4) TREC/mu g DNA; p = 0.03, p = 0.02, respectively). Patients with active SLE had lower TREC levels in CD4+ T cells than controls (2.27 +/- 2.05 X 10(4) vs 5.64 +/- 4.99 X 10(4) TREC/mu p, DNA; p = 0.03), but this difference did not reach statistical significance for CD8+ cells (4.14 +/- 4.06 X 10(4) vs 8.77 +/- 8.78 X 10(4) TREC/mu g DNA; p = 0.1). Patients with quiescent SLE presented TREC levels similar to controls in CD4+ and CD8+ cells (p = 0.49, p = 0.3, respectively). Conclusion. Out results reveal decreased TREC levels in the peripheral blood of patients with active but not in patients with quiescent SLE. These data Suggest that TREC levels are affected by disease activity in SLE. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 04/14795-6 - Análise de linfócitos recém-egressos do timo no lúpus eritematoso sistêmico e na artrite idiopática juvenil
• Beneficiário: Luiz Eduardo Coelho Andrade
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular