title: Impaired NK cell functionality and increased TNF-α production as biomarkers of chronic chikungunya arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The chronic chikungunya arthritis symptoms closely mimic the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms, thus making it difficult to distinguish between these two clinical entities. The current comparative study characterizes NK (CD3-CD56+) and NK-like T (CD3+CD56+) cell responses in patients with chronic chikungunya arthritis and RA. Phenotype and functions of NK and NK-like T cells repertoire were assessed in 56 chronic chikungunya arthritis, 26 RA patients and 82 controls using flow cytometry. TNF-α and IFN-γ-secreting NK-like T cells were high in both chronic arthritis patients than in controls. Percentage of TNF-α+NK cells was higher in RA patients than in controls. Percentage of perforin+NK cells was low in both chronic arthritis patient groups. Among the patient groups, expressions of perforin+and IFN-γ+NK-like T cells were higher in RA. Overall, our data show reduced frequency of NK-like T cells, lower expression of perforin+NK, higher expression of TNF-α+NK-like T and IFN-γ+NK-like T cells as the markers of chronic arthritic diseases. In the absence of any specific treatment for chronic chikungunya induced arthritis and promising results of anti-TNF-α therapy against RA, current data may form the basis for future in vivo studies and has scope as possible therapeutics against chikungunya.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Group, National Institute of Virology, Pune, 130/1, Sus Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021 India.
authors.forename: Subrat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thanapati
authors.affiliation: Sanjeevan Hospital, Latur, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Mohini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganu
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Group, National Institute of Virology, Pune, 130/1, Sus Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021 India.
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Group, National Institute of Virology, Pune, 130/1, Sus Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021 India.
authors.forename: Shruti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Group, National Institute of Virology, Pune, 130/1, Sus Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021 India.
authors.forename: Meenal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Group, National Institute of Virology, Pune, 130/1, Sus Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021 India.
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Babar
authors.affiliation: Sanjeevan Hospital, Latur, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ganu
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Group, National Institute of Virology, Pune, 130/1, Sus Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra 411021 India. Electronic address: anuradhastripathy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Anuradha S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tripathy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Chikungunya; NK cell; NK-like T cell; RA; TNF-α