The Clinical Significance and Expression of P2X7 Purinergic Receptor in Peripheral Blood from Patients with New-Oneset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Xiangpei Li¹, Meiyun Wang², Jinhui Tao², Xiaomei Li² and Ning Yu¹, ¹Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,, Anhui Medical University Affiliated Provincial Hospital, Hefei, Anhui, China, ²Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Anhui Medical University Affiliated Provincial Hospital, Hefei, Anhui, China

Meeting: 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Session Information

Title: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Human Etiology and Pathogenesis

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose: P2X7 purinergic receptor (P2X7R) is encoded by a gene within the human SLE locus SLEB4. Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) regulates inflammatory cells by activation this pro-inflammation receptor. Our aim was to describe the expression of the P2X7R on peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with SLE and explore its significance in the pathogenesis and clinical features of SLE.

Methods: Surface expression of P2X7R on total lymphocytes, CD4+T cells, and CD19+B cell in peripheral blood from 29 SLE patients were determined by flow cytometry. As controls, 28 age and sex-matched healthy subjects (HC) were used. ELISA was performed to detect P2X7R-related serum cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α level.

Results: Compared to HC, SLE patients had higher expression of P2X7R on CD4+ T cells (2.21(3.55) vs 0.89(1.15) p=0.015) and CD19+B cells (11.53(20.01) vs 6.66(6.27), p=0.037). The same result was also observed in total lymphocytes (1.85(5.75) vs 1.19(0.74), p=0.082), though it was not statistically significant. As reported before, increase of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were observed in patients with SLE. Meanwhile, the percentage of P2X7R+ cells in lymphocytes was positively correlated with the serum IL-6 level in SLE patients(r=0.449,p=0.015). Regarding the clinical manifestations, patients with arthritis showed higher expression of P2X7R on total lymphocytes compared to patients without arthritis(p=0.006); Neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) patients had increased P2X7R expression on CD19+B cells. In addition, the percentage of P2X7R+ cells in total lymphocytes and CD19+B cell were both positively correlated with the SLEDAI score (r=0.374, p=0.00 5; r=0.274,p=0.041) and so was that in total lymphocytes with anti-β2GP1.

Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that an increased expression of P2X7R may contribute to the flare and organ damage of SLE by inducing the secretion of IL-6, which suggests that therapeutic targeting of P2X7Rmight be beneficial for treatment of human SLE.

Disclosure:

X. Li,
None;

M. Wang,
None;

J. Tao,

Youth Foudation of Anhui Provincial Department of Public Health ,

X. Li,
None;

N. Yu,
None.

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