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Lindelöf L, Rantapää-Dahlqvist S, Lundtoft C, Sandling JK, Leonard D, Sayadi A, Rönnblom L, Enocsson H, Sjöwall C, Jönsen A, Bengtsson AA, Hong MG, Diaz-Gallo LM, Bianchi M, Kozyrev SV, Lindblad-Toh K, Nilsson Ekdahl K, Nilsson B, Gunnarsson I, Svenungsson E, Eriksson O. A survey of ficolin-3 activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus reveals a link to hematological disease manifestations and autoantibody profile. J Autoimmun 2024; 143:103166. [PMID: 38219652 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
The complement system plays a central role in the pathogenesis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), but most studies have focused on the classical pathway. Ficolin-3 is the main initiator of the lectin pathway of complement in humans, but its role in systemic autoimmune disease has not been conclusively determined. Here, we combined biochemical and genetic approaches to assess the contribution of ficolin-3 to SLE risk and disease manifestations. Ficolin-3 activity was measured by a functional assay in serum or plasma samples from Swedish SLE patients (n = 786) and controls matched for age and sex (n = 566). Genetic variants in an extended 300 kb genomic region spanning the FCN3 locus were analyzed for their association with ficolin-3 activity and SLE manifestations in a Swedish multicenter cohort (n = 985). Patients with ficolin-3 activity in the highest tertile showed a strong enrichment in an SLE cluster defined by anti-Sm/DNA/nucleosome antibodies (OR 3.0, p < 0.001) and had increased rates of hematological disease (OR 1.4, p = 0.078) and lymphopenia (OR = 1.6, p = 0.039). Genetic variants associated with low ficolin-3 activity mapped to an extended haplotype in high linkage disequilibrium upstream of the FCN3 gene. Patients carrying the lead genetic variant associated with low ficolin-3 activity had a lower frequency of hematological disease (OR 0.67, p = 0.018) and lymphopenia (OR 0.63, p = 0.031) and fewer autoantibodies (p = 0.0019). Loss-of-function variants in the FCN3 gene were not associated with SLE, but four (0.5 %) SLE patients developed acquired ficolin-3 deficiency where ficolin-3 activity in serum was depleted following diagnosis of SLE. Taken together, our results provide genetic and biochemical evidence that implicate the lectin pathway in hematological SLE manifestations. We also identify lectin pathway activation through ficolin-3 as a factor that contributes to the autoantibody response in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnea Lindelöf
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Christian Lundtoft
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johanna K Sandling
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dag Leonard
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ahmed Sayadi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Rönnblom
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helena Enocsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Christopher Sjöwall
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Andreas Jönsen
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders A Bengtsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mun-Gwan Hong
- National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lina-Marcela Diaz-Gallo
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matteo Bianchi
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sergey V Kozyrev
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Lindblad-Toh
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kristina Nilsson Ekdahl
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Linnaeus Center for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Iva Gunnarsson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elisabet Svenungsson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oskar Eriksson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Lundtoft C, Sjöwall C, Rantapää‐Dahlqvist S, Bengtsson AA, Jönsen A, Pucholt P, Wu YL, Lundström E, Eloranta M, Gunnarsson I, Baecklund E, Jonsson R, Hammenfors D, Forsblad‐d'Elia H, Eriksson P, Mandl T, Bucher S, Norheim KB, Auglaend Johnsen SJ, Omdal R, Kvarnström M, Wahren‐Herlenius M, Truedsson L, Nilsson B, Kozyrev SV, Bianchi M, Lindblad‐Toh K, Yu C, Nordmark G, Sandling JK, Svenungsson E, Leonard D, Rönnblom L, Rönnblom L. Strong Association of Combined Genetic Deficiencies in the Classical Complement Pathway With Risk of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. Arthritis Rheumatol 2022; 74:1842-1850. [PMID: 35729719 PMCID: PMC9828039 DOI: 10.1002/art.42270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Complete genetic deficiency of the complement component C2 is a strong risk factor for monogenic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but whether heterozygous C2 deficiency adds to the risk of SLE or primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) has not been studied systematically. This study was undertaken to investigate potential associations of heterozygous C2 deficiency and C4 copy number variation with clinical manifestations in patients with SLE and patients with primary SS. METHODS The presence of the common 28-bp C2 deletion rs9332736 and C4 copy number variation was examined in Scandinavian patients who had received a diagnosis of SLE (n = 958) or primary SS (n = 911) and in 2,262 healthy controls through the use of DNA sequencing. The concentration of complement proteins in plasma and classical complement function were analyzed in a subgroup of SLE patients. RESULTS Heterozygous C2 deficiency-when present in combination with a low C4A copy number-substantially increased the risk of SLE (odds ratio [OR] 10.2 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.5-37.0]) and the risk of primary SS (OR 13.0 [95% CI 4.5-48.4]) when compared to individuals with 2 C4A copies and normal C2. For patients heterozygous for rs9332736 with 1 C4A copy, the median age at diagnosis was 7 years earlier in patients with SLE and 12 years earlier in patients with primary SS when compared to patients with normal C2. Reduced C2 levels in plasma (P = 2 × 10-9 ) and impaired function of the classical complement pathway (P = 0.03) were detected in SLE patients with heterozygous C2 deficiency. Finally, in a primary SS patient homozygous for C2 deficiency, we observed low levels of anti-Scl-70, which suggests a risk of developing systemic sclerosis or potential overlap between primary SS and other systemic autoimmune diseases. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that a genetic pattern involving partial deficiencies of C2 and C4A in the classical complement pathway is a strong risk factor for SLE and for primary SS. Our results emphasize the central role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of both SLE and primary SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Lundtoft
- Department of Medical Sciences, RheumatologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden,Present address:
Olink Proteomics
| | - Christopher Sjöwall
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical SciencesLinköping UniversityLinköpingSweden
| | | | - Anders A. Bengtsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, and Skåne University HospitalLundSweden
| | - Andreas Jönsen
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, and Skåne University HospitalLundSweden
| | - Pascal Pucholt
- Department of Medical Sciences, RheumatologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Yee Ling Wu
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, and the Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyLoyola UniversityChicagoIllinois
| | - Emeli Lundström
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine SolnaKarolinska Institutet, Karolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
| | | | - Iva Gunnarsson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine SolnaKarolinska Institutet, Karolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
| | - Eva Baecklund
- Department of Medical Sciences, RheumatologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Roland Jonsson
- Broegelmann Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical ScienceUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | | | - Helena Forsblad‐d'Elia
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation ResearchSahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Per Eriksson
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical SciencesLinköping UniversityLinköpingSweden
| | - Thomas Mandl
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical Sciences MalmöLund University, and NovartisMalmöSweden
| | - Sara Bucher
- Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine and HealthÖrebro UniversityÖrebroSweden
| | - Katrine B. Norheim
- Department of Rheumatology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway, and the Institute of Clinical Science, University of BergenBergenNorway
| | | | - Roald Omdal
- Broegelmann Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, and the Department of RheumatologyStavanger University HospitalStavangerNorway
| | - Marika Kvarnström
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and the Academic Specialist Center, Center for Rheumatology, Stockholm Health ServicesStockholmSweden
| | - Marie Wahren‐Herlenius
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, and Broegelmann Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Lennart Truedsson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and GlycobiologyLund University HospitalLundSweden
| | - Bo Nilsson
- Department of Immunology, Genetics, and PathologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Sergey V. Kozyrev
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and MicrobiologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Matteo Bianchi
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and MicrobiologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Kerstin Lindblad‐Toh
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, and Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeMassachusetts
| | | | - Chack‐Yung Yu
- Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's HospitalColumbusOhio
| | - Gunnel Nordmark
- Department of Medical Sciences, RheumatologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | | | - Elisabet Svenungsson
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine SolnaKarolinska Institutet, Karolinska University HospitalStockholmSweden
| | - Dag Leonard
- Department of Medical Sciences, RheumatologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Lars Rönnblom
- Department of Medical Sciences, RheumatologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Lars Rönnblom
- Department of Medical Sciences, Rheumatology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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