The interaction between NK cells and ILC cells and their subsets in atopic dermatitis patients with and without dupilumab therapy

• Published in: International immunopharmacology Vol. 136; p. 112327
• Main Authors: Boudkova, Petra, Čermáková, Eva, Krejsek, Jan, Čelakovská, Jarmila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 30-07-2024
• Subjects: Atopic dermatitis; Dupilumab; ILC cells; NK cells; NK cells; Atopic dermatitis; Dupilumab; ILC cells
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112327

•An interaction between natural killer cells and innate lymphoid cells has been demonstrated.•The higher association between natural killer cells and total innate lymphoid cells been demonstrated in atopic dermatitis patients and in healthy controls.•Low association between natural killer cells and total innate lymphoid cells was demonstrated in patients with dupilumab therapy.•Innate lymphoid cells type 2 interact with natural killer cells in atopic dermatitis patients without dupilumab therapy.
Natural killer cells (NK) and innate lymphoid cells with their subsets (ILC) are part of the innate immune system.
The aim is to evaluate how NK cells and ILC cells interact in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients (with and without dupilumab therapy) compared to control group.
Complete dermatological examination was performed in all patients included in the study (19 AD patients with dupilumab, 17 AD patients without dupilumab). Surface molecules expressed on NK cells and ILC cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The association between NK cells and total ILC cells, ILC-1, ILC-2, ILC-3, NCR+ILC3, NCR−ILC3 were compared in AD patients and in the control group. The non-parametric Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used for this statistical analysis. We evaluated the association of parameters with AD severity at the time of treatment.Non-parametric Mann-Whitney, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were used.
We confirmed the higher association between NK cells and total ILC cells in AD patients without dupilumab therapy (in 30.3 %) and in healthy controls (in 27.2 %); this association is low in AD patients with dupilumab therapy (in 0.1 %). The higher association was confirmed between NK cells and ILCs subsets only in AD patients without dupilumab therapy; in these patients the highest association was confirmed between NK cells and ILC-2 cells (in 38.6 %). No statistically significant difference in the count of NK cells and ILC cells was found between mild and moderate form of AD patients treated with dupilumab.
Targeting these cell types or the cytokines they produce could represent potential therapeutic strategies for controlling inflammation and alleviating symptoms in AD patients.