ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • Meeting Resource Center

Abstract Number: 1455

B and T Cell Immunologic Features Associated with Higher Disease Activity Score and Focus Score in Primary Sjögren Syndrome

Alice Mai1, Yuriy Baglaenko 2, Dario Ferri 3, Kieran Manion 4, Dennisse Bonilla 5, Arthur Bookman 6 and Joan Wither 7, 1University of British Columbia Department of Rheumatology, Vancouver, Canada, 2Brigham Woman's Hospital, Boston, 3University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada, 4Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada, 5University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, 6University Health Network, Toronto, Canada, 7University Health Network, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada

Meeting: 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting

Keywords: biomarkers and autoimmune diseases, interferons, Sjogren's syndrome, T cells

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Session Information

Date: Monday, November 11, 2019

Session Title: Sjögrenʼs Syndrome – Basic & Clinical Science Poster II

Session Type: Poster Session (Monday)

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease with an incompletely understood pathogenesis and heterogenous disease manifestations. Identifying cellular immune changes that may predict disease severity could lead to identification of biomarkers and potential targets for therapy. We examined a cohort of pSS patients to identify the cellular immunologic features significantly associated with disease activity, as measured by the EULAR Sjögren’s syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI) and the focus score on minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsy.

Methods: 35 participants who met the ACR 2016 classification criteria for pSS were recruited. Peripheral blood cellular immunological changes were assessed by flow cytometry and transcript levels of BAFF, interferon (IFN)-induced and plasma cell-expressed genes were quantified by NanoString. Normalized Log2 transformed expression levels of 5 IFN-induced genes were summed to generate the IFN5 score. Associations between the ESSDAI, focus score, and cellular immunological changes were evaluated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

Results: The ESSDAI was significantly correlated with the focus score (r=0.64, p< 0.01).  The majority of T and B cell populations, including the proportions of naïve, class-switched memory, un-switched memory, and CD27– memory B cells and their activation, as well as IFN-γ-, IL-17-, or IL-21-producing T cells, did not correlate with either measure of disease activity.  However, the proportion of transitional B cells (CD27–IgD+CD24hiCD38hi; r=0.40, p=0.03) and proportion of activated memory T follicular helper cells (CXCR5+PD1hi) in the CD4+ T cell compartment (r=0.39, p=0.05) and CD3+ T cell compartment (r=0.42, p=0.04) were significantly associated with the focus score. In addition, the frequency of T regulatory cells (CD4+FOXP3+HELIOS+) was positively correlated with the ESSDAI (r=0.61, p=0.04).  Type I IFN-induced gene expression, as measured by the IFN5 score, was significantly associated with both focus score (r=0.37, p=0.05) and ESSDAI (r=0.37, p=0.04).

Conclusion: The findings suggest that elevated levels of IFN-induced gene expression and increased proportions of T follicular helper cells are potential biomarkers of increased disease activity and may constitute good targets for disease treatment.


Disclosure: A. Mai, None; Y. Baglaenko, None; D. Ferri, None; K. Manion, None; D. Bonilla, None; A. Bookman, None; J. Wither, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Mai A, Baglaenko Y, Ferri D, Manion K, Bonilla D, Bookman A, Wither J. B and T Cell Immunologic Features Associated with Higher Disease Activity Score and Focus Score in Primary Sjögren Syndrome [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019; 71 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/b-and-t-cell-immunologic-features-associated-with-higher-disease-activity-score-and-focus-score-in-primary-sjogren-syndrome/. Accessed March 21, 2023.
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

« Back to 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/b-and-t-cell-immunologic-features-associated-with-higher-disease-activity-score-and-focus-score-in-primary-sjogren-syndrome/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

ACR Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium 2020

© COPYRIGHT 2023 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY

Wiley

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
  • Advanced Search
  • Meeting Resource Center
  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences