Identification of immune subsets with distinct lectin binding signatures using multi-parameter flow cytometry: correlations with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus

• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1380481
• Publication Date: 2024-05-07T04:24:12Z
• Authors: Enikő Szabó; Anna Faragó; Gergely Bodor; Nikolett Gémes; László G. Puskás; László Kovács; Gábor J. Szebeni
• Keywords: Identification

Objectives Cell surface glycosylation can influence protein-protein interactions with particular relevance to changes in core fucosylation and terminal sialylation. Glycans are ligands for immune regulatory lectin families like galectins (Gals) or sialic acid immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs). This study delves into the glycan alterations within subsets of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Evaluation binding affinities Galectin-1, Galectin-3, Siglec-1, Aleuria aurantia (AAL, recognizing fucosylation), Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA, specific α-2,6-sialylation) was conducted on various peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from control SLE subjects. Lectin measured by multi-parameter flow cytometry 18 manually gated T-cells, NK-cells, NKT-cells, B-cells, monocytes unstimulated resting state also after 3-day activation. Stimulated pre-gated populations were subsequently clustered FlowSOM algorithm based activation markers, CD25 HLA-DR. Results Elevated AAL, SNA + /CD25 - ratio certain stimulated T-cell correlated Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) scores. The significantly increased frequencies activated AAL low Siglec-1 NK metaclusters SLEDAI-2K indices. In SLE, double negative NKTs displayed lower ratio, negatively correlating disease activity. enhanced plasmablasts positively Conclusion Alterations correlate severity, which might represent potential implications pathogenesis SLE.