title: Detection of circulating Fc epsilon R2/CD23+ monocytes in patients with rheumatic diseases.
abstract: Recently, in vitro studies have demonstrated that expression of Fc epsilon R2/CD23 on normal monocytes can be specifically induced by IL-4. In order to investigate the interaction of IL-4 and monocytes in rheumatic diseases, flow cytometry studies were performed. Elevated numbers of circulating Fc epsilon R2/CD23+ monocytes were detected in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) as compared with controls. In addition, supernatants derived from phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of PSS patients contained high activity to induce Fc epsilon R2/CD23 on CD14+ monocytes. An increased frequency of Fc epsilon R2/CD23+ monocytes was also observed in rheumatoid arthritis, and sequential studies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus showed a close relationship between Fc epsilon R2/CD23+ monocytes and disease activity. It is suggested that IL-4 has an important role in the pathogenesis of PSS by activating monocytes, and might also contribute to monocyte activation in other rheumatic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Third Medicine Clinic and Poliklinik, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Potyka
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Federlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000097:blood*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000097:blood*; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017455:Receptors, IgE; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015847:Interleukin-4