Background/Purpose: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory and multisystem disease. Microparticles (MPs) are cell membrane-shedded fragments released during apoptosis and cell activation. Several diseases are associated with increased number of circulating MPs, and those from the endothelium (EMPs) can trigger neutrophil activation and stimulate coagulation. On the other hand, they act as potent proinflammatory inducers affecting the function of the endothelium. Objective: To determine the number of MPs of endothelial origin (EMPs) in women with SLE under treatment, compared to controls, as a tool to assess disease activity.

Methods:  This study included 90 women with similar age distributed into 3 groups: Group 1: healthy women (control, n=30); Group 2: SLE patients under treatment with low disease activity (SLEDAI < 4, n=30); Group 3: SLE patients under treatment with /moderate high disease activity (SLEDAI ≥4, n=30). EMPs were purified by ultracentrifugation, labeled with antibody anti-CD51 / 61 and anti – annexin V and then analysed by flow cytometry

Results: The number of EMPs was significantly higher in patients with SLE compared to the control group (p = 0.0178). When SLE patients were stratified according to the activity disease, the number of EMPs was significantly higher in SLE women with moderate / high activity compared to the control group (p = 0.0074). However, no difference was observed between the control group and SLE women with low activity disease. Correlations between the number of EMPs and age (r = -0.3385, P = 0.0123) and between the number of EMPs and SLEDAI (r = 0.2785, p = 0.0377) were observed.

Conclusion: Data from this study suggest that EMPs measurement may be an useful tool in the evaluation of patients with SLE and monitoring of treatment.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/microparticles-of-endothelial-origin-in-women-with-systemic-lupus-erythematosus-under-treatment/