Abnormal telomerase activity and telomere length in T and B cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical significance of telomerase activity and telomere length in T and B lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
CD3+ (T cell) and CD19+ (B cell) lymphocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of SLE patients and healthy controls by means of magnetic bead-coupled antibodies. SLE patients were classified as active or inactive cases according to the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Telomere activity of lymphocytes was measured by telomeric-repeat amplification protocol. Telomere length was measured by flow cytometry-fluorescence in situ hybridization.


RESULTS
T cell telomerase activity was significantly higher in patients with both active and inactive SLE than in controls, but was lower than B cell telomerase activity in patients with active SLE, and was not correlated with SLEDAI results. B cell telomerase activity was only significantly higher than in controls in patients with active SLE, and was strongly correlated with SLEDAI. Four laboratory results, anti-dsDNA antibody titer, IgG level, C3 level, and CH50 level, were correlated with B cell telomerase activity. Telomere length in T cells was significantly shorter than in controls. In contrast, the telomere length in B cells did not differ significantly from controls.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with SLE, many T cells divide continuously. Their telomerase activity was higher than that in control T cells, but not so high as to prevent telomere shortening. In contrast, B cells do not divide abnormally in the inactive phase of SLE, but divide rapidly in the active phase.
Kurosaka
Daitaro
D
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan. d_kurosaka@jikei.ac.jp
Yasuda
Jun
J
Yoshida
Ken
K
Yoneda
Asako
A
Yasuda
Chiho
C
Kingetsu
Isamu
I
Toyokawa
Yasuhiko
Y
Yokoyama
Toru
T
Saito
Saburo
S
Yamada
Akio
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics*
D019098:Telomerase