Open Access

Potential role of autophagy in T‑cell survival in polymyositis and dermatomyositis

  • Authors:
    • Xiaoming Shu
    • Fang Chen
    • Qinglin Peng
    • Xin Lu
    • Xiaolan Tian
    • Yan Wang
    • Guochun Wang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 6, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.6693
  • Pages: 1180-1188
  • Copyright: © Shu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Peripheral blood T lymphocytopenia has previously been identified in polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the potential role of autophagy in peripheral blood T cell survival in PM/DM patients. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect the formation of autophagosomes of peripheral blood cluster of differentiation (CD)3+ T cells obtained from 24 patients with PM/DM and 21 healthy controls. Protein and mRNA expression levels of autophagy‑related molecules were examined by western blot analysis and reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The number of peripheral blood CD3+ T cells decreased significantly in PM/DM patients. The median percentage of apoptosis of CD3+ T cells in PM/DM patients was significantly increased compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, the number of autophagosomes and the expression of the autophagy markers microtubule‑associated protein 1A/1B‑light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin‑1 were significantly reduced in the circulating CD3+ T cells of PM/DM patients compared with those of healthy controls. LC3 and Beclin‑1 protein levels correlated negatively with apoptosis rates in circulating CD3+ T cells in patients with PM/DM. CD3+ T cells from PM/DM patients treated with rapamycin increased autophagy and decreased apoptosis compared with untreated cells (P<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggested that autophagy may serve a potential protective role in the peripheral blood T cells of patients with PM/DM.
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August-2017
Volume 16 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Spandidos Publications style
Shu X, Chen F, Peng Q, Lu X, Tian X, Wang Y and Wang G: Potential role of autophagy in T‑cell survival in polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Mol Med Rep 16: 1180-1188, 2017
APA
Shu, X., Chen, F., Peng, Q., Lu, X., Tian, X., Wang, Y., & Wang, G. (2017). Potential role of autophagy in T‑cell survival in polymyositis and dermatomyositis. Molecular Medicine Reports, 16, 1180-1188. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.6693
MLA
Shu, X., Chen, F., Peng, Q., Lu, X., Tian, X., Wang, Y., Wang, G."Potential role of autophagy in T‑cell survival in polymyositis and dermatomyositis". Molecular Medicine Reports 16.2 (2017): 1180-1188.
Chicago
Shu, X., Chen, F., Peng, Q., Lu, X., Tian, X., Wang, Y., Wang, G."Potential role of autophagy in T‑cell survival in polymyositis and dermatomyositis". Molecular Medicine Reports 16, no. 2 (2017): 1180-1188. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2017.6693