Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Transcriptomic effects of hydroxychloroquine in CD4+ T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: An exploratory pilot study
Authors' conclusion
This exploratory pilot study provides pre- and post-treatment transcriptomic evidence that HCQ exerts multifaceted immunomodulatory effects on CD4+ T cells, suppressing Th1-related, CD40, and histone pathways. These effects appear particularly robust in early-stage SLE, providing a molecular rationale for the clinical benefit of early HCQ introduction.
Study context
- Population
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients before and 3 months after initiating HCQ therapy, stratified into an induction phase (early, treatment-naïve disease) and a maintenance phase (long-standing disease with concomitant treatments)SLE patients with CD4+ T cells sequenced, independent validation cohort n = 10
- Participants
- 5 patients
- Comparison
- Before and 3 months after initiating HCQ therapy; induction phase vs maintenance phase
Methodological detailspre- and post-treatment RNA sequencing analysis, validation at the protein level using an immunoassay
- Pre- and post-treatment RNA sequencing analysis
- Validation at the protein level using an immunoassay
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Induction phase
56 genes were upregulated and 193 genes were downregulated
Maintenance phase
71 upregulated and 46 downregulated DEGs
Further findings
Direction of gene regulation between the two phases (chi-square test)
- Statistically significant difference, suggesting a predominant gene downregulation in the early phase
GO and KEGG pathway analyses (adj. p < 0.05)
- Alterations in "Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction" and "SLE" pathways
Serum IFN-γ and IL-10 levels in an independent cohort
- Significant decreases following HCQ treatment
Original publication
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