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Updated: May 30, 2025
Characterization of Human Monocyte Subsets by Whole Blood Flow Cytometry Analysis
Published on: October 17, 2018
Peripheral Classic and Intermediate Monocyte Subsets as Immune Biomarkers of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease
Amaylia Oehadian1, Mohammad Ghozali, Sutiadi Kusuma
1Hematology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University - Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia. amaylia.oehadian@unpad.ac.id.
Background:
Monocytes are evolutionarily preserved innate immune cells that play essential roles in immune response regulation. Three activated monocyte subsets-classical (CD14++CD16-), intermediate (CD14++CD16+), and nonclassical (CD14+CD16++)-are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) progression. This study aims to determine the association of monocyte subsets with SLE disease activity.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study involving 25 patients with SLE was conducted. Blood samples were collected, and monocyte subsets were identified using flow cytometry. Patients were grouped by disease activity using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) into inactive (SLEDAI-2K ≤ 4) and active (SLEDAI-2K > 4). The cutoff for monocyte subsets was determined using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis.
Results:
Nine active and 16 inactive subjects were identified. Compared with individuals without active disease, individuals with active disease had significantly lower mean classical monocyte subsets (71.9% vs 88%, p = 0.008), and higher median intermediate monocytes (29.1% vs 11.1%, p = 0.019). The median nonclassical monocyte subsets were not significantly different between the two groups. The cutoff for classical monocytes in active disease was ≤72.2%, AUC = 0.788, p = 0.021, with 66.7% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity; for intermediate monocytes, it was >22.3%, AUC = 0.788, p = 0.014, with 66.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity.
Conclusion:
Classical and intermediate monocytes could be considered as immune cellular markers for identifying active SLE.
