Analysis of T-cell receptor usage in myeloperoxidase--antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated renal vasculitis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Bacterial superantigens produced by Staphylococcus aureus may be associated with the onset of proteinase-3 antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (PR3-ANCA)-associated vasculitis, including Wegener's granulomatosis. We investigated T-cell subsets to assess the superantigens present in patients with myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA)-associated vasculitis.

METHODS:

Peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from 40 normal controls and ten patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis were stained with fluorescence-labeled monoclonal antibodies against T-cell markers, including 17 variable regions of T-cell receptor beta-chains (TCR-Vbeta) and were then analyzed using flow cytometry.

RESULTS:

Among PBMCs, the percentage of CD3(+) cells from patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis was significantly lower than that from normal controls, but there were no differences between the two groups in the percentage of CD19(+) cells or CD16(+) cells. Although there were no differences regarding the overall percentage of CD4(+) cells between the two groups, the percentage of CD4(+)CD45RO(+) cells in patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis was significantly higher than that in normal controls, and percentages of CD4(+)CD45RO(+)HLA-DR(+) and CD4(+)CD45RO(+)CD62L(low) cells in patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis were also significantly increased. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the usage of the 17 different TCR-Vbeta regions.

CONCLUSION:

There was no difference in bacterial superantigens between controls and MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis patients because of the absence of specific usage of TCR-Vbeta regions. Given the elevated levels of memory T cells, conventional antigens rather than superantigens may be associated with the pathogenesis of MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis.

• Authors: Kouichi Hirayama, Takashi Ishizu, Homare Shimohata, Yasunori Miyamoto, Tomoko Kakita, Miho Nagai, Yujiro Ogawa, Shogo Fujita, Aki Hirayama, Kunihiro Yamagata, Masaki Kobayashi, Akio Koyama
• Journal: Clinical and experimental nephrology (Clin Exp Nephrol) Vol. 14 Issue 1 Pg. 36-42 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 1437-7799 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 19809783 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
• CD3 Complex
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
• Peroxidase
• Myeloblastin

Topics

• Aged
• Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic (immunology)
• CD3 Complex (analysis)
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (immunology)
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Humans
• Leukocytes, Mononuclear (immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Myeloblastin (immunology)
• Peroxidase (immunology)
• Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell (immunology)
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology)
• Vasculitis (immunology)