Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor correlate with T-cell activation in primary Sjögren's syndrome

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of rheumatology Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 50 - 57
• Main Authors: Fauchais, A. L., Boumediene, A., Lalloué, F., Gondran, G., Loustaud-Ratti, V., Vidal, E., Jauberteau, M. O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Informa UK Ltd 2009; Taylor & Francis; Informa
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; B-Cell Activating Factor; B-Cell Activating Factor - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Markers; Biomarkers - blood; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood; Case-Control Studies; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - pathology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - pathology; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Endocrinology and metabolism; Female; HLA-DR Antigens; HLA-DR Antigens - metabolism; Human health and pathology; Humans; Immunology; Life Sciences; Lymphocyte Count; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nerve Growth Factor; Nerve Growth Factor - blood; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Severity of Illness Index; Sjogren's Syndrome; Sjogren's Syndrome - blood; Sjogren's Syndrome - immunology; Sjogren's Syndrome - pathology; T-Lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; T-Lymphocytes - pathology; Immunopathology; Brain; Stomatology; Rheumatology; Autoimmune disease; Nerve growth factor; Activation; Sjögren syndrome; Encephalon; Neurotrophic factor; Eye disease; Immunological investigation; Systemic disease; T-Lymphocyte
• ISSN: 0300-9742; 1502-7732
• DOI: 10.1080/03009740802378832

Objectives: Identification of factors associated with disease activity and B and T cell activation is a challenge in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Neurotrophins (NTs), recently reported as B cell antiapoptotic, and T-cell activation factors seem to be implicated in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: Samples from 18 pSS patients and 12 control subjects were studied to determine serum levels of nerve-growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and their relationships with T- and B-cell activation and disease activity. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with pSS and controls were examined by flow cytometry for HLA-DR expression by activated T cells. B cell activation was evaluated by B cell activating factor (BAFF) serum levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoglobulin (Ig) and free light chain (FLC) levels.
Results: Mean serum levels of BDNF in pSS patients were significantly higher than in healthy controls and correlated directly with disease activity. NGF levels were associated with the subgroup of patients with hypergammaglobulinaemia. The pSS group was characterized by peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T cell activation that correlated positively with BDNF and NGF levels, respectively.
Conclusion: NT levels are potential biomarkers for lymphocyte activation in pSS patients.