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CXCL-13 serum levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with abatacept
S. Masneri1, S. Piantoni2, G. Galoppini3, F. Regola4, C. Nalli5, C. Bazzani6, F. Franceschini7, P. Airò8
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy. slv.piantoni@gmail.com
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
- Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, ASST Spedali Civili and University of Brescia, Italy.
CER15023
2022 Vol.40, N°11
PI 2103, PF 2108
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PMID: 35084306 [PubMed]
Received: 22/07/2021
Accepted : 09/12/2021
In Press: 27/01/2022
Published: 04/11/2022
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
C-X-C motif chemokine 13 (CXCL-13), which is expressed by synovial follicular dendritic cells and activated mature antigen-experienced T-helper cells, has been described as a surrogate marker of lymphoid phenotype of synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A preferential response to anti-interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) as compared to anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) monotherapy has been described in patients with increased levels of CXCL-13. We hypothesised that serum levels of CXCL-13 could be used as a biomarker of response to treatment with abatacept (ABA), a T-cell co-stimulation blocker.
METHODS:
Serum levels of CXCL-13 and of soluble intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) (a putative marker of the myeloid subtype of synovitis) were measured by indirect solid-phase enzyme immunoassays, before (T0) and after 6 months of therapy with ABA (T6) in 63 patients with RA. Circulating T follicular helper cells and B cell subpopulations were identified by flow-cytometry.
RESULTS:
At T0, CXCL-13 serum levels were higher in RA patients than in healthy controls (p=0.0001) and correlated with disease activity, while no difference between the two groups was observed as far as sICAM-1 levels. Serum levels of CXCL-13 levels decreased after therapy with ABA both in patients who achieved a clinical response (p<0.01) and in non-responders (p=0.01), whereas sICAM-1 levels did not significantly change. When comparing RA patients who responded to ABA with non-responders no significant difference of baseline serum levels of CXCL-13 was observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
CXCL-13 serum levels are raised in RA patients and decrease after therapy with ABA. We were not able to demonstrate that serum CXCL-13 levels predict the clinical response to ABA in RA patients.
