Telomerase activity in B and T lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate telomerase activity as a marker of lymphocyte proliferation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
CD19+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of nine patients with SLE and nine healthy controls by means of magnetic bead-coupled antibodies and tested for telomerase activity with the TRAP assay.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity was significantly increased in CD19+ B cells from patients with SLE. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from lupus patients displayed increased mean telomerase activity, although the difference from normal controls did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased telomerase activity in the B and the T cell lineage might indicate activation and proliferation of these lymphocytes.
Klapper
W
W
Department of Haematopathology and Lymph Node Registry Kiel, University Kiel, Germany. wklapper@path.uni-kiel.de.
Moosig
F
F
Sotnikova
A
A
Qian
W
W
Schröder
J O
JO
Parwaresch
R
R
D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000097:blood*; D016615:Telomere / Q000648:ultrastructure
D019098:Telomerase