Changes of frequency and expression level of CD161 in CD8⁺ T cells and natural killer T cells in peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Immunologic abnormalities of natural killer (NK) cells and T cells play a role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). CD161 is expressed on most of the NK cells and on some T cells. The quantities of CD161‐expressing cells and expression levels of CD161 were analyzed in T cells and NK cells from patients with SLE compared with normal controls. The expression of CD161 on NK cells, NKT cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood from patients with inactive SLE and active SLE, and from the normal controls group were determined using flow cytometry. The frequency and expression level of CD161 in the lymphocyte subsets and its relationship with the quantity of regulatory T cells, anti‐double stranded DNA antibody, and the titer of antinuclear antibody were evaluated. Both the percentages of the CD161+ subpopulation and the mean fluorescence intensities (MFIs) of CD161 in CD8+ T cells and NKT cells decreased significantly in SLE patients compared with normal controls (P < .001). The CD161 expression in CD8+ T cells and NKT cells also decreased in the anti‐dsDNA (+) group (P < .05). The counts of Treg cells were lower in SLE patients and were weakly correlated with the percentage of the CD161 subpopulation (r = 0.229, P = .016) and the MFIs of CD161 expression in CD8+ T cells (r = .232, P = .014). The frequencies and levels of CD161 expression on CD8+ T cells and NKT cells were reduced in SLE patients, suggesting that an abnormality of these cells was related to the pathogenesis of SLE.

Single‐cell RNA‐seq reveals altered NK cell subsets and reduced levels of cytotoxic molecules in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

“…KLRB1, perhaps better known by its alias CD161, is a member of the killer lectin‐like receptor family and widely expressed on the surface of NK and certain T cells. Data from a flow cytometry study highlighted that SLE patients had decreased levels of CD161 expression in both NK and T cells, 40 and similar results were replicated by later investigators 41 …”

Expansion of invariant natural killer T cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients by alpha-Galactosylceramide and IL-15

“…CD161, also refer to as C-type lectin domain family 5 member B, is an iNKT cell marker gradually expressed during differentiation from fetus [ 30 ]. Previous studies have shown the deficient expression of CD161 on NK and T cells from SLE patients [ 31 ]. Our finding demonstrated an intrinsic defect of CD161 + iNKT subsets in SLE patients.…”

CD8+CD161+ T-Cells: Cytotoxic Memory Cells With High Therapeutic Potential

“…Activation induced expansion of CD161 cells and the implication of CD161 polymorphism in MS suggests potential therapeutic modulation of these cells in disease conditions mediated or ameliorated by CD8 + T-cells (40,65,66). In SLE, a disease in which CD8 + cells play a relatively minor role in pathogenesis, reduced CD161 expression on CD8 + T cells and NKT cells was noted in patients with advanced disease (67).…”