Tumor necrosis factor-α blockade treatment decreased CD154 (CD40-ligand) expression in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

CONTEXTS:

CD154 (commonly referred to as CD40-ligand) is a critical T cell factor that participates in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and is over-expressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). TNF-α blockade treatment had dramatic efficacy in RA.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate whether TNF-α blockade treatment can inhibit CD154 expression in RA.

METHODS:

Blood samples were collected from 33 patients with rheumatoid arthritis before and 3 months after TNF-α blockade treatment. Clinical serological data determined by standard assays and T cell CD154 expression levels determined by flow cytometry were statistically analyzed for these two time points.

RESULTS:

The percentage of CD154 expression on gated CD4+ T cells of PBMCs from RA patients after 3 months TNF-α blockade treatment was significantly lower than before treatment (2.94 ± 3.21% vs. 7.21 ± 5.64%; p = 0.0001). The disease activity and anti-CCP antibody levels were also significantly reduced after TNF-α blockade treatment. The CD154 expression levels were positively correlated with disease activity index DAS28, and CRP. The post-stimulated CD154 expression percentage of purified CD4+ T cells between baseline and after TNF-α blockade treatment was not significantly different (p = 0.221). Baseline CD154 levels were positively correlated with treatment-induced changes in DAS28 (p = 0.014; r2 = 0.187).

CONCLUSIONS:

TNF-α blockade treatment significantly decreased the CD154 expression on CD4+ T cells, disease activity and anti-CCP antibody simultaneously in RA patients. However TNF-α blockade did not impair T cell capacity to express CD154 after stimulation. These results suggest that decreased CD154 expression after TNF-α blockade may be due to decreased RA disease activity but not direct inhibition of CD154 responsiveness of T cells.

• Authors: Chien-Hsueh Tung, Ming-Chi Lu, Ning-Sheng Lai, Shu-Fen Wu
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 12 Issue 8 Pg. e0183726 ( 2017) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 28837666 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• CD40 Ligand

Topics

• Adult
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (drug therapy, metabolism)
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (metabolism)
• CD40 Ligand (metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (antagonists & inhibitors)