Membrane P-glycoprotein expression in lymphocytes from adult patients with refractory glomerulonephritis.

Abstract

To investigate the expression of P-glycoprotein in T-cell subpopulations of lymphocytes from adult patients with refractory glomerulonephritis (GN). Flow cytometry was used to analyze the T-cell subpopulations of lymphocytes from adult patients with refractory GN and healthy individuals. The CD243 antibody marked the membrane P-glycoprotein of immune cells. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) values of percentages of CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD3+CD8+ cells in lymphocytes from patients with refractory GN were 63.94±26.98, 55.16±4.78, and 37.79±6.01%, respectively. These values in healthy individuals were 74.88±3.75, 56.60±9.22, and 34.20±5.21%, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the patients with refractory GN and healthy individuals. The mean ± SD values of percentages of CD3+CD4+CD243+ and CD3+CD8+CD243+ cells in the lymphocytes of patients with refractory GN were 0.14±0.11 and 0.11±0.07%, respectively. These values in healthy individuals were 0.05±0.02 and 0.04±0.02%, respectively. The difference in CD3+CD8+CD243+ percentage between patients with refractory GN and healthy individuals was significant (p=0.0216). These findings suggest that P-glycoprotein expression on CD3+CD8+ T cells is a promising marker and a suitable target of drug resistance in patients with refractory GN.