1. Expression of integrin α4β1 and α4β7 on B cells correlates with autoimmune responses in Graves' disease.
- Author
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Zhao R, Gu J, Zhao H, Wang Z, Liu X, Yuan C, Zheng X, Yang T, Xu X, and Cai Y
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Adult, Middle Aged, Integrin alpha4beta1 metabolism, Integrin alpha4beta1 immunology, Autoantibodies blood, Autoantibodies immunology, Hashimoto Disease immunology, Hashimoto Disease blood, Hashimoto Disease metabolism, Haptoglobins metabolism, Protein Precursors metabolism, Cholera Toxin immunology, Enterotoxins immunology, Thyroid Gland immunology, Thyroid Gland metabolism, Thyroid Gland pathology, Graves Disease immunology, Graves Disease blood, B-Lymphocytes immunology, B-Lymphocytes metabolism, Integrins metabolism
- Abstract
Background: Integrins are upregulated on endothelial cells and T-lymphocytes in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), potentially contributing to immune response localization. The role of integrins on B-cells in AITD remains unclear., Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from healthy controls (n = 56), patients with Graves' disease (GD) (n = 37) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (n = 52). Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid was performed in patients with non-autoimmune thyroid disease (nAITD) (n = 19), GD (n = 11), and HT (n = 40). Integrins α4β7, α4β1, and αEβ7 in B cells were measured by flow cytometry. Serum zonulin levels were quantified via ELISA. Associations of integrins on B cells with thyroid hormones, thyroid autoantibodies, AITD duration, and zonulin were analyzed., Results: HT patients exhibited lower α4β7 and higher α4β1 expression on B cells compared to healthy controls and GD patients. While α4β7 was predominant on circulating B cells, the dominant integrin expressed on intrathyroidal B cells varied with specific thyroid diseases. In GD patients, α4β7 and α4β1 expression on circulating B cells correlated positively and negatively with thyroid function and thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins (TSI) levels, respectively. Intrathyroidal α4β1
+ B cells positively correlated with TSH levels in HT patients. Additionally, serum zonulin was elevated in HT patients, and intrathyroidal α4β7+ B cells and α4β1+ B cells correlated negatively and positively with zonulin levels, respectively. Integrin αEβ7 on B cells showed no significant association with AITD., Conclusion: Integrins expressed on B cells potentially play a role in the pathogenesis of AITD and might serve as immune biomarkers for the disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2024
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