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12:36
Single-cell Analysis of Immunophenotype and Cytokine Production in Peripheral Whole Blood via Mass Cytometry
Published on: June 26, 2018
Cytokine-induced monocyte characteristics in SLE
Zhe Zhang1, Kelly Maurer, Juan C Perin
1The Center for Bioinformatics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Journal of Biomedicine & Biotechnology
|July 14, 2010
Summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) monocytes show altered gene expression and epigenetic changes, specifically in H4 acetylation. Interferon treatments partially mimicked these SLE monocyte gene expression patterns.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Epigenetics
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
Background:
- Monocytes in SLE patients exhibit abnormal behavior across various functional assays.
- Epigenetic modifications, such as histone acetylation, are implicated in immune cell dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate epigenetic alterations, specifically H4 acetylation, in monocytes from SLE patients.
- To compare gene expression and H4 acetylation patterns in SLE monocytes with cytokine-stimulated monocytes to identify predominant cytokine influences.
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide analysis of gene expression and H4 acetylation in monocytes from SLE patients and healthy controls.
- Comparison of SLE monocyte profiles with monocytes treated with gamma-interferon and alpha-interferon.
Main Results:
- SLE monocytes displayed significantly higher H4 acetylation compared to controls.
- Gamma-interferon and alpha-interferon treatments replicated a substantial portion of the gene expression changes observed in SLE monocytes.
- A subset of chemokine genes showed downregulated expression and H4 acetylation in SLE monocytes.
Conclusions:
- SLE monocytes exhibit distinct epigenetic changes, characterized by widespread H4 acetylation alterations.
- Aberrantly expressed genes in SLE monocytes are strongly associated with modified H4 acetylation, indicating durable epigenetic modifications.
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