Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
Systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by a distinct peripheral T helper cell profile
Authors' conclusion
SSc patients with severe vasculopathy (presence of PAH) exhibited a distinct T cell profile, suggesting a potential role of auto-immune inflammation in SSc vascular complications.
Study context
- Population
- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients (with and without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)), patients with idiopathic PAH and age and sex-matched healthy donors30 SSc patients
- Participants
- 15 / 15 / 5 / 15
- Exposure
- SSc with PAH vs SSc without PAH, idiopathic PAH and healthy donors (HD)
- SSc-PAHn = 15
- SSc without PAHn = 15reference
- Idiopathic PAHn = 5
- HDn = 15reference
- Outcome
- Peripheral T cell subsets associated with vascular severity in SSc
Methodological detailsmatched for age, sex and medication, multi-colour flow cytometry
- Matched for age, sex and medication
- Multi-colour flow cytometry
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Peripheral T cell subsets
- SSc vs HD: elevated percentages of Tph and CD4+GZMB+ T cells; decreased Th1 cells
- SSc vs HD: increased CD4+ and CD8+ exhausted-like (CD28-) T cells, with raised cytokine and cytotoxic signature
- IL-4 expressing CD4+CD8+ T cells significantly increased in SSc peripheral blood
- PAH in SSc accompanied by a distinct T helper profile: raised percentages of Th17 and Tph cells
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by a distinct peripheral T helper cell profile. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 29 March 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →