Abstract
BackgroundIgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a new clinical entity of unknown etiology characterized by elevated serum IgG4 and tissue infiltration by IgG4-positive plasma cells. Although aberrancies in acquired immune system functions, including increases in Th2 and Treg cytokines observed in patients with IgG4-RD, its true etiology remains unclear. To investigate the pathogenesis of IgG4-RD, this study compared the expression of genes related to innate immunity in patients with IgG4-RD and healthy controls.Materials and MethodsPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from patients with IgG4-RD before and after steroid therapy and from healthy controls. Total RNA was extracted and DNA microarray analysis was performed in two IgG4-RD patients to screen for genes showing changes in expression. Candidate genes were validated by real-time RT-PCR in 27 patients with IgG4-RD and 13 healthy controls.ResultsDNA microarray analysis identified 21 genes that showed a greater than 3-fold difference in expression between IgG4-RD patients and healthy controls and 30 genes that showed a greater than 3-fold change in IgG4-RD patients following steroid therapy. Candidate genes related to innate immunity, including those encoding Charcot–Leyden crystal protein (CLC), membrane-spanning 4-domain subfamily A member 3 (MS4A3), defensin alpha (DEFA) 3 and 4, and interleukin-8 receptors (IL8R), were validated by real-time RT-PCR. Expression of all genes was significantly lower in IgG4-RD patients than in healthy controls. Steroid therapy significantly increased the expression of DEFA3, DEFA4 and MS4A3, but had no effect on the expression of CLC, IL8RA and IL8RB.ConclusionsThe expression of genes related to allergy or innate immunity, including CLC, MS4A3, DEFA3, DEFA4, IL8RA and IL8RB, was lower in PBMCs from patients with IgG4-RD than from healthy controls. Although there is the limitation in the number of patients applied in DNA microarray, impaired expression of genes related to innate immunity may be involved in the pathogenesis of IgG4-RD as well as in abnormalities of acquired immunity.
Highlights
IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a new emerging disease entity characterized by elevated serum IgG4 concentrations and tissue tumefaction or infiltration by IgG4-positive plasma cells [1, 2]
Steroid therapy significantly increased the expression of defensin alpha 3 (DEFA3), DEFA4 and MS4A3, but had no effect on the expression of Charcot–Leyden crystal protein (CLC), interleukin 8 receptors alpha (IL8RA) and IL8RB
The expression of genes related to allergy or innate immunity, including CLC, MS4A3, DEFA3, DEFA4, IL8RA and IL8RB, was lower in Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with IgG4-RD than from healthy controls
Summary
IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a new clinical entity of unknown etiology characterized by elevated serum IgG4 and tissue infiltration by IgG4-positive plasma cells. Aberrancies in acquired immune system functions, including increases in Th2 and Treg cytokines observed in patients with IgG4-RD, its true etiology remains unclear. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The pathogenesis of IgG4-RD, this study compared the expression of genes related to innate immunity in patients with IgG4-RD and healthy controls
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