Transcriptomic profiling of iris tissue highlights B cell-mediated immunity in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease
Purpose
To explore the molecular pathological changes and immunopathogenesis of intraocular inflammatory sites in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.
Methods
The mRNA-seq, bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR, and flow cytometry were performed.
Results
Compared with healthy controls, a total of 3522 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the iris of the VKH group. Cell type enrichment analysis by xCell showed that the overall immune infiltration level in the iris of the VKH group was significantly increased, of which B cells and their subsets with the highest enrichment scores exhibited the greatest difference as compared with healthy controls. Specifically, B cells, memory B cells, class-switched memory B cells, and plasma cells were significantly enriched in the iris of the VKH group. Furthermore, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that B cell-related biological processes such as B cell activation and B cell receptor signaling pathway were also prominently enriched. GSEA further revealed that B cell-related biological processes were distinctively associated with VKH disease. The mRNA expression of B cell marker genes (including CD20, CD19, CD79A, CD79B, MZB1, CD22, CD27, and SDC1) was also notably upregulated in the iris of VKH patients. Similarly, we found that the proportions of memory B cells, class-switched memory B cells, and plasmablasts were significantly increased in the peripheral blood of patients with active VKH.
Conclusion
These findings highlight a previously underappreciated role of B cell subsets in the development of intraocular inflammation in patients with VKH, and thus targeting B cells may be a new therapeutic strategy for this disease.
Conflict of interest
No
Authors 1
Last name
DENG
Initials of first name(s)
Y
Department
ophthalmology
City
Chongqing
Country
China
Authors 2
Last name
Yang
Initials of first name(s)
P
Department
ophthalmology
City
Chongqing
Country
China
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