Abstract
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a progressive autoimmune liver disease in which monocytes/macrophages infiltration and skewed T helper type (Th) 1 and Th17 cell responses participate in the development of the disease. Human peripheral blood monocytes are heterogeneous and can be divided into classical CD14highCD16−, intermediate CD14highCD16+, and nonclassical CD14lowCD16+ monocyte subsets. Compared to classical monocytes, CD16+ monocytes are generally termed pro-inflammatory monocytes and play an important pathogenic role in autoimmune diseases. However, little is known about the immunophenotype and immunopathogenic role of peripheral blood CD16+ monocytes in PBC. Thus, we investigated the phenotype and function of these circulating monocyte subsets from PBC patients. The frequencies of circulating CD14highCD16+ and CD14lowCD16+ subpopulation were increased in disease compared with healthy controls. Among them, CD14lowCD16+ monocyte subset positively correlated with disease progress, liver damage indicators and serum C-reactive protein, respectively. Furthermore, the frequencies of Th1 and Th17 cells were upregulated and CD14lowCD16+ monocyte subset was also positively associated with Th1 cell frequency in PBC. Using a vitro coculture model, we further found that CD14lowCD16+ monocytes promoted Th1 cell polarization compared to classical monocytes. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and direct contact of patient CD4+T cell and CD14lowCD16+ monocytes, were responsible for CD14lowCD16+ monocytes promotion of Th1 cells polarization in PBC. Our study demonstrated that the enhanced CD14lowCD16+ monocyte subset participated in fostering liver damage and inflammatory responses, and promoted Th1 cells skewing in PBC.
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Abbreviations
- PBC:
-
Primary biliary cirrhosis
- ADA:
-
Adenosine deaminase
- AST:
-
Aspartate aminotransferase
- ALT:
-
Alanine aminotransferase
- ALP:
-
Alkaline phosphatase
- GGT:
-
γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase
- TBIL:
-
Total bilirubin
- CRP:
-
C-reactive protein
- Th:
-
T helper type
- RA:
-
Rheumatoid arthritis
- ITP:
-
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
- CHB:
-
Chronic hepatitis B
- HC:
-
Healthy control
- AMA:
-
Anti-mitochondrial antibodies
- PBMCs:
-
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells
- IL-12:
-
Interleukin-12
- GAPDH:
-
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation project of China (81303287) and funded by Guangdong Province Medical Research Foundation project (A2013236).
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The authors have no conflict of interest in connection with this study.
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Anping Peng and Peifeng Ke have contributed equally to this work.
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Peng, A., Ke, P., Zhao, R. et al. Elevated circulating CD14lowCD16+ monocyte subset in primary biliary cirrhosis correlates with liver injury and promotes Th1 polarization. Clin Exp Med 16, 511–521 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10238-015-0381-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10238-015-0381-2