Natural killer cell expression of Ki67 is associated with elevated serum IL-15, disease activity and nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus

• DOI: 10.1111/cei.13263
• Publication Date: 2019-01-29T06:49:01Z
• Authors: K Hudspeth; S Wang; J Wang; S Rahman; M A Smith; K A Casey; ; Z Manna; M Sanjuan; R Kolbeck; S Hasni; R Ettinger; R M Siegel
• Keywords: Innate lymphoid cell

Summary Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder whose pathology involves multiple immune cell types, including B and T lymphocytes as well myeloid cells. While it clear that autoantibody-producing cells, CD4+ help, are key contributors to disease, little known regarding the role of innate lymphoid cells such natural killer (NK) in pathogenesis SLE. We have characterized phenotype NK by multi-color flow cytometry large cohort SLE patients. overall percentage was similar or slightly decreased compared healthy controls, subset patients displayed high frequency expressing proliferation marker, Ki67, which not found donors. Although expression Ki67 on correlated with other subsets, considerably higher. Increased frequencies Ki67+ strongly clinical severity active nephritis also related low numbers, but leukopenia. Proteomic functional data indicate cytokine interleukin-15 promotes induction These results suggest for regulating immune-mediated reveal possible target therapeutic intervention.