1. Specific Follicular Helper T Cell Signature in Takayasu Arteritis.
- Author
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Desbois, A. C., Régnier, P., Quiniou, V., Lejoncour, A., Maciejewski‐Duval, A., Comarmond, C., Vallet, H., Rosenzwag, M., Darrasse‐Jèze, G., Derian, N., Pouchot, J., Samson, M., Bienvenu, B., Fouret, P., Koskas, F., Garrido, M., Sène, D., Bruneval, P., Cacoub, P., and Klatzmann, D.
- Subjects
FLOW cytometry ,SEQUENCE analysis ,IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY ,GIANT cell arteritis ,MANN Whitney U Test ,TAKAYASU arteritis ,JANUS kinases ,GENE expression profiling ,CELL proliferation ,T cells ,PHENOTYPES ,ORGAN donors - Abstract
Objective: Our aim was to compare transcriptome and phenotype profiles of CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK), patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), and healthy donors. Methods: Gene expression analyses, flow cytometry immunophenotyping, T cell receptor (TCR) gene sequencing, and functional assessments of cells from peripheral blood and arterial lesions from TAK patients, GCA patients, and healthy donors were performed. Results: Among the most significantly dysregulated genes in CD4+ T cells of TAK patients compared to GCA patients (n = 720 genes) and in CD4+ T cells of TAK patients compared to healthy donors (n = 1,447 genes), we identified a follicular helper T (Tfh) cell signature, which included CXCR5, CCR6, and CCL20 genes, that was transcriptionally up‐regulated in TAK patients. Phenotypically, there was an increase in CD4+CXCR5+CCR6+CXCR3− Tfh17 cells in TAK patients that was associated with a significant enrichment of CD19+ B cell activation. Functionally, Tfh cells helped B cells to proliferate, differentiate into memory cells, and secrete IgG antibodies. Maturation of B cells was inhibited by JAK inhibitors. Locally, in areas of arterial inflammation, we found a higher proportion of tertiary lymphoid structures comprised CD4+, CXCR5+, programmed death 1+, and CD20+ cells in TAK patients compared to GCA patients. CD4+CXCR5+ T cells in the aortas of TAK patients had an oligoclonal α/β TCR repertoire. Conclusion: We established the presence of a specific Tfh cell signature in both circulating and aorta‐infiltrating CD4+ T cells from TAK patients. The cooperation of Tfh cells and B cells might be critical in the occurrence of vascular inflammation in patients with TAK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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