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Author Spotlight: Evaluating Traditional Chinese Therapy for Ankylosing Spondylitis in Mice
Published on: October 27, 2023
Involvement of Mucosal-associated Invariant T cells in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Eri Hayashi1, Asako Chiba2, Kurisu Tada1
1From the Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, and Department of Immunology, and Department of Gastroenterology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.E. Hayashi, MD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, and Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; A. Chiba, MD, PhD, Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; K. Tada, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; K. Haga, MD, PhD, Department of Gastroenterology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; M. Kitagaichi, MD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, and Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; S. Nakajima, MD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, and Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; M. Kusaoi, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; F. Sekiya, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; M. Ogasawara, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; K. Yamaji, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; N. Tamura, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; Y. Takasaki, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University School of Medicine; S. Miyake, MD, PhD, Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine.
Objective:
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the axial and peripheral joints and ligamentous attachments. Gut immunity is thought to be involved in AS, because a prominent coexistence of gut and joint inflammation has been observed in patients with AS. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are preferentially located in the gut lamina propria and produce inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 17 (IL-17) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which are therapeutic targets for AS. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of MAIT cells in AS.
Methods:
The frequency of MAIT cells and their cytokine production were determined in patients with AS and healthy controls (HC). The expression of a MAIT cell activation marker (CD69) was analyzed in patients with AS by using flow cytometry.
Results:
The frequency of MAIT cells in the peripheral blood was lower in patients with AS compared with HC. The levels of IL-17 produced by MAIT cells after activation were higher in patients with AS than in the HC. CD69 expression on MAIT cells correlated with the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score in patients with AS.
Conclusion:
These results suggest the involvement of MAIT cells in the pathogenesis of AS.
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