The expression of P2X7 receptors on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome and its correlation with anxiety and depression.
OBJECTIVE
To study surface expression of P2X7 receptors (P2X7R) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), and its correlation with anxiety and/or depression.


METHODS
The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) were used to assess 31 patients with pSS. P2X7R expression on the surface of CD14+ and CD14- PBMC, with or without ATP stimulation, was measured by flow cytometry. IL-1β and IL-6 levels in blood plasma and supernatant after ATP stimulation were measured by ELISA. Nineteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 18 patients with anxiety and/or depression, and 20 healthy cases were used as controls.


RESULTS
P2X7R expression was detected in all subjects. Compared with no ATP stimulation, significant up-regulation of P2X7R expression on CD14+ PBMC was observed after ATP stimulation in the pSS group only (p=0.001), while on CD14- PBMC there was significant up-regulation in both the pSS (p<0.001) and anxiety/depression (p=0.003) groups. After ATP stimulation, P2X7R expression on CD14+ PBMC in the pSS group was significantly higher than the RA group (p=0.044), anxiety/depression group (p=0.004) and healthy controls (p=0.002). Moreover, in the pSS group, P2X7R expression on CD14+ PBMC was significantly positively correlated to IL-1β supernatant levels (r=0.447, p=0.025). Overall, there were 45.2% (14/31) patients with anxiety and 32.3% (10/31) with depression, in the pSS group. P2X7R expression on CD14- PBMC was significantly positively correlated to scores of anxiety (r=0.344, p=0.030) and depression (r=0.319, p=0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
Surface expression of P2X7R on PBMC in patients with pSS was significantly higher than controls, suggesting P2X7R may contribute to the complex pathogenesis of pSS and also anxiety and/or depression.
Department of Rheumatology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, China. amour_87117825@163.com.
B
B
Xie
Y
Y
Chen
S
S
Zhang
X
X
Wu
Z
Z
Zhang
Y
Y
Peng
X
X
Huang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000276:immunology*; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*
C508600:IL6 protein, human; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7