Increased microchimerism in peripheral blood of women with systemic lupus erythematosus: relation with pregnancy

Bos, E.M.J.; Rijnink, E.C.; Zandbergen, M.; Pool, J.D.N.D. de; Almekinders, M.M.; Berden, J.H.M.; Bijl, M.; Hagen, E.C.; Kolster-Bijdevaate, C.; Steup-Beekman, G.M.; Wolterbeek, R.; Bloemenkamp, K.W.M.; Baelde, H.J.; Bruijn, J.A.; Bajema, I.M.; Wilhelmus, S.

doi:doi:10.55563/clinexprheumatol/75tlgf

Objectives: We aimed to determine the presence, amount and origin of microchimerism in peripheral blood of pregnant and non-pregnant parous women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as compared to control subjects. Methods: We performed a comparative study in which peripheral blood was drawn from eleven female non-pregnant SLE-patients and 22 control subjects, and from six pregnant SLE-patients and eleven control subjects during gestation and up to six months postpartum. Quantitative PCR for insertion-deletion polymorphisms and null alleles was used to detect microchimerism in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and granulocytes. Results: Microchimerism was detected more often in non-pregnant SLE-patients than control subjects (54.4% vs. 13.6%, respectively; p=0.03). When present, the median total number of foetal chimeric cells was 5 gEq/106 in patients and 2.5gEq/106 in control subjects (p=0.048). Microchimerism was mostly foetal in origin; maternal microchimerism was detected...Show moreObjectives: We aimed to determine the presence, amount and origin of microchimerism in peripheral blood of pregnant and non-pregnant parous women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as compared to control subjects. Methods: We performed a comparative study in which peripheral blood was drawn from eleven female non-pregnant SLE-patients and 22 control subjects, and from six pregnant SLE-patients and eleven control subjects during gestation and up to six months postpartum. Quantitative PCR for insertion-deletion polymorphisms and null alleles was used to detect microchimerism in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and granulocytes. Results: Microchimerism was detected more often in non-pregnant SLE-patients than control subjects (54.4% vs. 13.6%, respectively; p=0.03). When present, the median total number of foetal chimeric cells was 5 gEq/106 in patients and 2.5gEq/106 in control subjects (p=0.048). Microchimerism was mostly foetal in origin; maternal microchimerism was detected in one patient and one control subject. In control subjects, microchimerism was always derived from only one source whereas in 50% of patients it originated from multiple sources. The pregnant patients had a significantly higher median number of foetal chimeric cells in the granulocyte fraction just after delivery than control subjects (7.5 gEq/106 vs. 0 gEq/106, respectively; p=0.02). Conclusions: Just after delivery, SLE-patients had more microchimerism than control subjects. Three months post-partum, microchimerism was no longer detectable, only to reappear many years after the last pregnancy, more often and at higher levels in SLE-patients than in control subjects. This suggests that these chimeric cells may originate from non-circulating foetal chimeric stem cells.Show less

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Increased microchimerism in peripheral blood of women with systemic lupus erythematosus: relation with pregnancy