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A functional variant in FCRL3 is associated with higher FcRL3 expression on T cell subsets and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 05/04/2012
Bajpai UD et al. – FcRL3 expression, which is strongly associated with the presence of the FCRL3 –169C allele, may serve as a biomarker of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity.
Methods- A cross–sectional study was performed to evaluate the FCRL3 –169 genotype and FcRL3 expression on T cell subsets, including Treg, from peripheral blood samples of 51 patients with RA enrolled in the UCSF RA Cohort.
- Clinical data were obtained from the UCSF RA Cohort database.
- The authors found that patients with the FCRL3 –169C allele (genotype C/C or C/T) expressed significantly higher levels of FcRL3 on Treg, and on CD8+ and TCRγδ+ T cells, in comparison to RA patients with the T/T genotype.
- Higher FcRL3 expression on these T cell subpopulations correlated with RA disease activity in those patients harboring the FCRL3 –169C allele.
- Furthermore, FcRL3 expression on Treg was higher in patients with erosive RA disease and the FCRL3 –169C allele was overrepresented in patients with erosive RA disease.
