Changes Of NK Cells And Its Receptors Expressions In Peripheral Blood Of Patients With Systematic Lupus Erythematosus Before And After Treatment Of Methylprednisolone Combined With Mycophenolate Mofetil

Objective: To explore the changes of NK cells and the expression levels of their activated andinhibitory receptors in peripheral blood of patients with systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE)before and after treatment of methylprednisolone combined with mycophenolate mofetil, tostudy its relationship with the clinical indicators and disease activity, to clarify its actionmechanism on SLE,and to provide new way for the early diagnosis and treatment of SLE.Methods: The expression levels of NK cells, their receptors and IFN-in peripheral blood ofthe healthy controls and SLE patients before and4,12weeks after treatment were detected byflow cytometry. We analyzed their relationship with disease activity and clinical indicators.Results:1. Compared with control group, the ratio of CD3-CD56+NK cells of the patients withSLE and the inhibitory receptors expression levels of KIR2DL3+, KIR3DL1+and NKG2A+NK in SLE patients before treatment were significantly decreased. The activated receptorsexpression levels of NKG2C+，NKP30+，NKP46+NK cells were significantly increased.Theexpression levels of the activated receptors NKG2D+and the inhibitory receptorsCD158a+,CD158b+were no obvious change.2. Compared with before treatment, the ratios of CD3-CD56+NK cells in the patients with SLE4and12weeks after treatment in drug response were significantly increased, and there was noobvious change in drug nonresponse.3. Compared with control group, the ratio of IFN-of the patients with SLE were significantlyincreased. Compared with before treatment, the ratios of IFN-in the patients with SLE4and12weeks after treatment in drug response were significantly decreased. There was no obviouschange in drug nonresponse.4.There was no correlation between NK cells or IFN-and laboratory indexes in peripheral blood of SLE patients.5.A significant positive correlation was found between the percentage of IFN-and SLEDAI inSLE patients before and4,12weeks after treatment of methylprednisolone combined withmycophenolate mofetil.There was no correlation between NK cells and SLEDAI in SLE patientsbefore and after the treatment.Conclusion:1.Compared with control group, the ratio of NK cells and the inhibitory receptorsexpression levels in SLE patients before treatment were significantly decreased. The activatedreceptors and IFN-expression levels were significantly increased. These suggested that NKcells and their receptors may play a protective role in the pathogenesis of SLE, and the increasedIFN-may have a promoting function in the process of SLE.2. In drug response patients after treatment of methylprednisolone combined with mycophenolatemofetil, the NK cells and IFN-may play important roles in treatment of SLE by enhancing theactiveness of NK cell and reduce the expression of IFN-, further regulation of the abnormal immunestatus, playing a therapeutic role, and as biological indicators for monitoring disease severityand drug therapy.3.This subject understanding changes of the expression of NK cells, their receptors and IFN-before and after treatment in in patients with SLE,and further defined the pathogenesis forSLE.In the near future we can change the abnormal immune status of the patients by regulatingthe NK cells, their receptors and IFN-and provide new therapeutic targets for prevention andtreatment of diseases.