Monocytes are no longer regarded as a homogenous cell population but can be divided, both phenotypically and functionally, into different subsets. In rheumatoid arthritis, the subpopulation of CD14bright/CD16+ monocytes is expanded and prone towards generation of Th17 cells. CD56+ monocytes represent a different subpopulation, which is also expanded in conditions associated with autoimmunity like inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of the study was the quantification and functional characterization of the CD56+ monocyte subset in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The work at hand shows that the frequency of CD56+ monocytes is also expanded in RA; moreover, this subpopulation seems to increase with age in healthy controls. This age association is completely lost in patients suffering from RA.
Further functional investigations could demonstrate a dysregulated cytokine response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with an increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNFα as well as an increased spontaneous reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI) production. A longitudinal treatment study using Etanercept as an established TNFα-blocking agent revealed a decrease of the frequency of that cell population under therapy. This decrease was more pronounced in patients with a good treatment response as judged by the reduction of the disease activity score (DAS) 28.
Summing up those results, the CD56+ monocyte subset might be involved in immunosenescence as well as in the pathogenesis of RA.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa.de:bsz:15-qucosa-156166 |
| Date | 24 November 2014 |
| Creators | Krasselt, Marco Lothar |
| Contributors | Universität Leipzig, Medizinische Fakultät, Prof. Dr. Ulf Wagner, Prof. Dr. Frank Emmrich, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Sack |
| Publisher | Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | German, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | doc-type:doctoralThesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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