Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells involves in the pathogenesis of Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura through affecting CD40/CD40L axis / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate whether follicular helper T(Tfh) cells were involved in the development of Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura(HSP) and Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura nephritis(HSPN) in chil-dren through affecting CD40/CD40L axis. Methods Fifty-five subjects were enrolled in this study and di-vided into four groups as follows22 children with HSP but without renal involvement(Group A),11 chil-dren with HSPN presenting with microhematuria(Group B),11 children with HSPN presenting with micro-hematuria and proteinuria (Group C) and 11 healthy children (control group). Flow cytometry was per-formed to detect the percentages of CD19+B cells and their subsets,CD19+B cells and CD19+CD38+B cells secreting different Ig classes,CD19+CD40+B cells and their subsets and Tfh cells expressing CD40 ligand (CD40L). Results Compared with the control group,the percentages of CD19+CD86+B,CD19+CD138+B and CD40L+Tfh cells significantly increased in Group C(P<0.05) and slightly increased in Groups A and B (P>0.05). No significant difference in the percentages of CD19+B cells, CD19+CD27+B cells, CD19+B cells or CD19+CD38+B cells expressing IgG, IgM, IgD, CD19+B cells or CD19+B cell subsets secreting CD40 was found between the control group and Groups A,B and C(P>0.05). Moreover,the percentages of CD19+B and CD19+CD38+B cells secreting IgA and IgE in Groups A,B and C were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05). Secretion of IgA by CD19+B and CD19+CD38+B cells were positively correla-ted with the expression of CD40L by Tfh cells(P<0.05). Conclusion Tfh cell-mediated abnormal expres-sion of CD40/CD40L might play an important role in the development of HSP and be related to the clinical severity of renal involvement in HSPN.