Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Association of peripheral CD8 + T cell activation with disease activity and treatment resistance in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors' conclusion
In SLE, greater proportions of highly cytotoxic and proinflammatory activated CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood-modulated disease activity, organ damage and residual treatment resistance, presenting a potential treatment target.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (mean age 42.3 years; women 89%; mean disease duration 112.8 months) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs)
- Participants
- 211 vs 48
- Exposure
- Patients with SLE vs healthy controls
- SLEn = 211
- HCsn = 48reference
- Outcome
- Comparison of peripheral CD8+ T cell subset characteristics between patients and HCs
Methodological detailsage- and sex-matched healthy controls, flow cytometry, cluster analysis
- Age- and sex-matched healthy controls
- Flow cytometry
- Cluster analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Peripheral CD8+ T cell subsets in PBMCs
- SLE had significantly higher proportions of naïve CD8+ T cells (CCR7+CD45RA+), terminally differentiated effector memory CD8+ cells (CCR7-CD45RA+) and activated CD8+ T cells (CD38+HLA-DR+) than HCs
- p<0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Activated CD8+ T cells: correlation with serum anti-dsDNA antibodies
- Rs
- 0.3146
- p
- P < 0.0001
- Activated CD8+ T cells produced granzyme B and interferon-γ
Activated CD8+ T cells: correlation with 50% haemolytic unit of complement
- Rs
- −0.3215
- p
- P = 0.0003
Activated CD8+ T cells in active systemic, renal or haematological involvement
- Significantly increased
- P < 0.05
Cluster analysis-based subgroups by CD8 differentiation and activation · 24 weeks
- A group with high activated CD8+ T cells had highly active SLE and organ damage incl. active nephritis, and persistently high cell counts after 24-week treatment, indicating treatment resistance (high anti-dsDNA titres and high GC doses)
Original publication
Association of peripheral CD8 + T cell activation with disease activity and treatment resistance in systemic lupus erythematosus. RMD Open. Published 26 February 2025. doi:10.
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