Association of PDCD1 polymorphism to systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE REUMATOLOGIA
Authors: do Canto, Luisa Matos; Della Justina Farias, Ticiana; Medeiros, Mayara Delagnelo; Coelho, Cintia Callegari; Rodrigues Sereia, Aline Fernanda; Fernandes de Carlos Back, Lia Kubelka; de Mello, Filipe Martins; Zimmermann, Adriana Fontes; Pereira, Ivanio Alves; de Souza, Iliada Rainha
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship of programmed cell death 1 (PDCD1) gene polymorphism (PD1.3G/A - rs11568821) with features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Southern Brazilian population. Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed in 95 SLE and 87 RA patients and 128 control group individuals from Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. The Hardy Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test, and odds ratio (OR) were analyzed, considering CI 95% and p <= 0.05. Results: The PD1.3A allele frequencies were 0.095 (SLE), 0.115 (RA) and 0.078 (controls). The genotypes of the control group were in HWE, while those of SLE and RA patients were not. However, we found no association between PD1.3 polymorphism and the SLE or RA susceptibility, nor clinical or epidemiological data. Conclusion: There was no significant association between PD1.3 polymorphism and SLE or RA susceptibility in this Southern Brazilian population. (C) 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda.
Human Tregs at the materno-fetal interface show site-specific adaptation reminiscent of tumor Tregs
JCI INSIGHT
Authors: Wienke, Judith; Brouwers, Laura; van der Burg, Leone M.; Mokry, Michal; Scholman, Rianne C.; Nikkels, Peter G. J.; van Rijn, Bas B.; van Wijk, Femke
Abstract
Tregs are crucial for maintaining maternal immunotolerance against the semiallogeneic fetus. We investigated the elusive transcriptional profile and functional adaptation of human uterine Tregs (uTregs) during pregnancy. Uterine biopsies, from placental bed (materno-fetal interface) and incision site (control) and blood were obtained from women with uncomplicated pregnancies undergoing cesarean section. Tregs and CD4(+) non-Tregs were isolated for transcriptomic profiling by Cel-Seq2. Results were validated on protein and single cell levels by flow cytometry. Placental bed uTregs showed elevated expression of Treg signature markers, including FOXP3, CTLA-4, and TIGIT. Their transcriptional profile was indicative of late-stage effector Treg differentiation and chronic activation, with increased expression of immune checkpoints GITR, TNFR2, OX-40, and 4-1BB; genes associated with suppressive capacity (HAVCR2, IL10, LAYN, and PDCD1); and transcription factors MAF, PRDM1, BATF, and VDR. uTregs mirrored non-Treg Th1 polarization and tissue residency. The particular transcriptional signature of placental bed uTregs overlapped strongly with that of tumor-infiltrating Tregs and was remarkably pronounced at the placental bed compared with uterine control site. In conclusion, human uTregs acquire a differentiated effector Treg profile similar to tumor-infiltrating Tregs, specifically at the maternofetal interface. This introduces the concept of site-specific transcriptional adaptation of Tregs within 1 organ.