Independent association of low IFNλ1 gene expression and type I IFN score/IFNλ1 ratio with obstetric manifestations and triple antiphospholipid antibody positivity in primary antiphospholipid syndrome

Christina-Maria Flessa; Stelios Vlachiotis; Adrianos Nezos; Evangelos Andreakos; Clio P Mavragani; Maria G Tektonidou

doi:10.1016/j.clim.2019.108265

Independent association of low IFNλ1 gene expression and type I IFN score/IFNλ1 ratio with obstetric manifestations and triple antiphospholipid antibody positivity in primary antiphospholipid syndrome

Clin Immunol. 2019 Dec:209:108265. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2019.108265. Epub 2019 Oct 19.

Authors

Christina-Maria Flessa¹, Stelios Vlachiotis², Adrianos Nezos³, Evangelos Andreakos², Clio P Mavragani⁴, Maria G Tektonidou⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
² Laboratory of Immunobiology, Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece.
³ Department of Physiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁴ Department of Physiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁵ First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: mtektonidou@med.uoa.gr.

PMID: 31639447
DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2019.108265

Abstract

Recent data suggest an important role of type I interferons (IFN) in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Here we aimed to evaluate the interplay of type I and type III (or IFNλs) IFNs in APS and potential clinical and serological associations. Our findings suggest that patients with primary APS (PAPS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)/APS displayed increased type I IFN scores but decreased IFNλ1 gene expression levels compared to healthy individuals, as assessed with real-time qPCR analysis in isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Type I IFN score/IFNλ1 ratio was remarkably higher in patients with PAPS and SLE/APS as well as in SLE patients with or without antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) vs controls. In conclusion, our results reveal an association between low IFNλ1 expression and obstetric APS. Moreover, the type I IFN score/IFNλ1 ratio seems to be a potential marker of high risk APS given its associations with triple aPL positivity.

Keywords: Antiphospholipid syndrome; IFNλ1 gene expression; Obstetric manifestations; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Triple antiphospholipid antibody positivity; Type I IFN score.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / genetics*
Antiphospholipid Syndrome / genetics*
Biomarkers / metabolism
Female
Gene Expression / genetics*
Humans
Interferon Type I / genetics*
Interferons / genetics*
Interleukins / genetics*
Leukocytes, Mononuclear
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / genetics
Male

Substances

Antibodies, Antiphospholipid
Biomarkers
interferon-lambda, human
Interferon Type I
Interleukins
Interferons