HLA B51 antigen associated with neutrophil hyper-reactivity

Area of Science:

• Immunogenetics
• Cellular Immunology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem vasculitis with proposed immunological pathogenesis.
• Neutrophil abnormalities in BD patients suggest their involvement in disease development.
• The Human Leukocyte Antigen B51 (HLA B51) specificity is strongly associated with BD susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate neutrophil function in healthy individuals with and without HLA B51.
• To clarify how HLA B51 antigen may confer susceptibility to Behcet's disease.

Main Methods:

• Compared neutrophil chemotaxis and superoxide production in B51-positive versus B51-negative healthy subjects.
• Assessed lymphocyte spontaneous proliferation and circulating immune complexes.
• Investigated polymorphonuclear (PMN) functions.

Main Results:

• Neutrophils from B51-positive subjects exhibited increased chemotaxis towards casein and LPS.
• PMA-induced superoxide production was significantly higher in neutrophils from B51-positive individuals.
• No enhanced lymphocyte activation was observed in B51-positive subjects.

Conclusions:

• The HLA B51 antigen is associated with enhanced neutrophil functions.
• These findings suggest the HLA region influences polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell functions.
• This may provide insight into the pathogenesis of Behcet's disease.