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Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Single-cell Analysis of Immunophenotype and Cytokine Production in Peripheral Whole Blood via Mass Cytometry
Published on: June 26, 2018
Immunophenotyping reveals distinct subgroups of lupus patients based on their activated T cell subsets
Daniel J Perry1, Anton A Titov1, Eric S Sobel2
1Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Insights
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients exhibit distinct immune cell profiles and gene expression patterns compared to healthy individuals. Targeting metabolic pathways may offer new therapeutic strategies for SLE.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by immune system dysregulation.
- Understanding the cellular and transcriptional differences in immune cells is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an integrated analysis of peripheral immune cells in SLE patients versus healthy controls (HC).
- To identify cellular and transcriptional distinctions that characterize SLE.
- To explore potential therapeutic targets based on observed immune cell and gene expression profiles.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood analysis using flow cytometry.
- Transcriptional profiling of CD4+ T cells via microarrays and Nanostring assays.
Main Results:
- SLE CD4+ T cells show increased expression of oxidative phosphorylation and immunoregulatory genes.
- Higher frequencies of activated CD38+HLA-DR+ T cells, Th1, Tfh, and plasmablast cells were observed in SLE patients.
- A subset of SLE patients, overrepresented by African Americans, displayed highly activated T cells correlated with metabolic gene expression.
Conclusions:
- SLE patients exhibit unique immune cell activation and metabolic signatures.
- Targeting metabolic pathways could be a potential therapeutic strategy for aberrant immune activation in SLE.
Objective:
This study performed an integrated analysis of the cellular and transcriptional differences in peripheral immune cells between patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls (HC).
Methods:
Peripheral blood was analyzed using standardized flow cytometry panels. Transcriptional analysis of CD4+ T cells was performed by microarrays and Nanostring assays.
Results:
SLE CD4+ T cells showed an increased expression of oxidative phosphorylation and immunoregulatory genes. SLE patients presented higher frequencies of activated CD38+HLA-DR+ T cells than HC. Hierarchical clustering identified a group of SLE patients among which African Americans were overrepresented, with highly activated T cells, and higher frequencies of Th1, Tfh, and plasmablast cells. T cell activation was positively correlated with metabolic gene expression in SLE patients but not in HC.
Conclusions:
SLE subjects presenting with activated T cells and a hyperactive metabolic signature may represent an opportunity to correct aberrant immune activation through targeted metabolic inhibitors.
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