Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Tissue degrading and remodelling molecules in giant cell arteritis
Authors' conclusion
Our study revealed novel molecules associated with the pathological features of GCA, providing a foundation for better understanding of GCA pathogenesis and development of targeted therapeutic strategies.
Study context
- Population
- Untreated patients with GCA; arterial lesions from temporal artery biopsytreatment-naive
- Participants
- 16 patients
- Outcome
- Molecular features of GCA lesions
Methodological detailsgenome-wide gene expression profiling, immunohistochemistry
- Genome-wide gene expression profiling
- Immunohistochemistry
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Unique gene expression pattern in GCA lesions, incl. enrichment of immune cells and phagocytic pathways related to microglia and osteoclasts
- MMP12 (macrophage elastase), HLA-DRA, and phagocytosis- and osteoclast-associated molecules present in infiltrating macrophages and MNGCs (immunohistochemistry)
- LRRC15-expressing cells in the tunica intima, suggesting a myofibroblast subpopulation that suppresses cytotoxic CD8+ T cells
- These molecules upregulated in other granulomatous diseases affecting arteries and lymph nodes
Original publication
Tissue degrading and remodelling molecules in giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 22 January 2025. doi:10.
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