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Potential role of viral infection and B cells as a linker between innate and adaptive immune response in systemic lupus erythematosus

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Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that involves several organ systems. Although B cells play a key role in SLE pathogenesis, the mechanisms behind B cell dysregulation in SLE development remained controversial. Finding the modules containing highly co-expressed genes in B cells could explain biological pathways involved in the pathogenesis of SLE, which may further support the reasons for the altered function of B cells in SLE disease. A total of three microarray gene expression datasets were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. SLE samples were prepared from the purified B lymphocyte cells of the patients who have not received immunosuppressive drugs as well as high dose immunocytotoxic therapies or steroids. A weighted gene co-expression network was then constructed to find the relevant modules implicated in the SLE progression. Among 17 identified modules, 3 modules were selected through mapping to STRING and finding the ones that had highly connection at the protein level. These modules clearly indicate the involvement of several pathways in the pathogenesis of SLE including viral infection, adaptive immune response, and innate immune response in B lymphocytes. The WGCN analysis further revealed the co-expressed genes involved in both innate and adaptive immune systems. Mix infections and primary immunodeficiency might also dysregulate B lymphocytes, which may facilitate SLE development. As such, identifying novel biomarkers and pathways in lupus would be of importance.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Grant No: 96–01-27–32013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Mohadeseh Zarei Ghobadi

  2. Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran

    Mohadeseh Zarei Ghobadi, Shima Izadi, Majid Teymoori-Rad, Mohammad Farahmand, Negar Labbaf & Sayed Mahdi Marashi

  3. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

    Sayed-Hamidreza Mozhgani

  4. Non‑Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

    Sayed-Hamidreza Mozhgani

  5. Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Fazel Shokri

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  1. Mohadeseh Zarei Ghobadi
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Ghobadi, M.Z., Izadi, S., Teymoori-Rad, M. et al. Potential role of viral infection and B cells as a linker between innate and adaptive immune response in systemic lupus erythematosus . Immunol Res 69, 196–204 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-021-09186-4

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