Blood Test Could Predict Relapse of Autoimmune Blood Vessel Disease

Neutrophils, once believed to be uniform in nature, have been discovered to exhibit significant diversity. These immune cells, which play a crucial role in fighting infections, are also implicated in autoimmune diseases. Now, new research has revealed that a specific subset of neutrophils can predict disease relapse early, potentially paving the way for more tailored treatment approaches.

A study published in Nature Communications and led by a multi-institutional research team from The University of Osaka (Osaka, Japan) explored the dominant cell types in the blood of patients at the early stages of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. This disease, caused by inflammation in the blood vessels, can lead to organ dysfunction. The research team enrolled six patients and seven healthy controls for comparison, collecting around 180,000 white blood cells. These cells were subjected to single-cell analysis to examine their genetic characteristics and surface proteins. The analysis of the transcriptome and proteome revealed a significantly higher proportion of two specific neutrophil subpopulations in the patients compared to healthy individuals. Notably, the researchers found an increase in a highly activatable subset of neutrophils in the patients. These cells were found to be responsive to interferon-gamma (IFN-g), a key protein involved in inflammation.

Among the patients, those showing the highest expression of IFN-g response genes were found to have persistent vasculitis symptoms even after treatment, suggesting that this particular neutrophil subpopulation plays a role in the persistent nature of vasculitis. To further investigate, the team analyzed the levels of IFN-g in stored serum samples from 37 patients, some of whom were newly diagnosed and others who had undergone treatment. The results were striking. Of the 24 new-onset patients assessed, the six with the highest serum IFN-g concentrations all experienced relapses, suggesting that measuring IFN-g levels could serve as an early indicator of disease relapse. This research offers a deeper understanding of the immune mechanisms underlying ANCA-associated vasculitis and suggests potential new strategies for disease monitoring and treatment. By identifying specific neutrophil populations involved in disease progression, these findings could lead to more personalized therapies, ultimately improving outcomes for patients suffering from this rare but serious condition.

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