CX3CL1-induced CD16⁺ monocytes extravasation in myeloperoxidase-ANCA-associated vasculitis correlates with renal damage

Monocytes are involved in the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Monocyte/macrophages are the dominant infiltrating cells in the glomeruli of patients with myeloperoxidase-AAV (MPO-AAV). However, how human monocyte subsets extravasate to the kidney in MPO-AAV with renal damage is unclear.

30 MPO-AAV patients with renal damage and 22 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Monocyte subsets and monocyte-related chemokines in the blood and kidneys of MPO-AAV patients were detected. The chemoattractant activity of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis on CD16⁺ monocytes was observed. The effect of MPO-ANCA on the migration of CD16⁺ monocytes to human glomerular endothelial cells (HGECs) was detected by flow cytometry and transwell migration assay.

Compared with controls, CD16⁺ monocytes were significantly decreased in the blood and increased in the glomeruli of MPO-AAV patients with renal damage. The level of CX3CL1, but not CCL2, was significantly increased in the plasma of MPO-AAV patients. CX3CL1 co-localized with glomerular endothelial cells in MPO-AAV patients with renal damage. Moreover, we initially found that MPO-ANCA promotes an increase of the chemokine CX3CL1 on HGECs, imposing recruitment on CD16⁺ monocytes. Finally, the percentage of CD16⁺ monocytes in the blood was found to be positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and negatively correlated with urinary protein creatinine ratio in MPO-AAV patients with renal damage. Furthermore, the urinary protein creatinine ratio was positively correlated with the infiltrating of CD14⁺ and CD16⁺ cells in the kidneys.

Enhanced extravasation of CD16⁺ monocytes to the kidney via the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis may be involved in renal damage in MPO-AAV.