Integrin signalling defects in T-lymphocytes in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Objective: To establish the relationship between T cell responses to integrin coreceptor stimulation and B cell hyperreactivity as measured by pathologic autoantibody production.Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 42 patients with SLE according to the American Rheumatism Association criteria were examined for their ability to adhere to plateimmobilised fibronectin. Co-stimulation assays were performed on the same cells using anti-CD3 antibody alone or co-immobilised with an anti-b1-integrin antibody. Proliferative responses were measured by 3[H]thymidine pulsing on day 3 and activation was determined using a commercial protein kinase C assay, the protocol being established by our group in association with Promega. b1-Integrin expression was established by FACS analysis.Results: An impaired PKC response to integrin-mediated activation was found in T-lymphocytes from 6=21 (29%) SLE patients, which correlated significantly with an absence of anti-dsDNA antibody in patient sera, irrespective of prednisolone treatment. Integrin co-stimulation of TcR/CD3-induced proliferation and T cell adhesion to fibronectin were also impaired among 5=21 (24%) and 6=15 (40%) patients studied, respectively.Conclusion: We hypothesise that the integrity of b1-integrin signalling pathways may influence pathological antibody production in SLE by affecting T-lymphocyte activation and interactions between T and Blymphocytes.