PB0705 - Functional changes of Belimumab on T cells in patients with ITP

Monday, June 24, 2024

13:45 – 14:45 ICT

Room: Exhibition Hall

Co-Author(s)

zhihui feng, MA

Department of Hematology
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China
kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)

Presenting Author(s)

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Zeping Zhou

professor
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University
Kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)

Co-Author(s)

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dongmei xie

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China
kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)
Renxia Li, MA

Department of Hematology
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University
Kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)
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wei zhang

Department of Hematology
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China
kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)
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shiqi zhang

Department of Hematology
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China
kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)
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yanmei cheng

Department of Hematology
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China
kunming, Yunnan, China (People's Republic)

Background: Belimumab is a monoclonal antibody against soluble B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) approved for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although B cells are the main target of this therapy, the presence of BAFF-R on T cells and the role of the Blys-dependent T cell activation pathway have been well demonstrated.

Aims: Considering that T cells in ITP display significant phenotypical changes and BLyS expression levels are elevated, the aim of this study is to analyze the functional changes of Belimumab on T cells in patients with ITP.

Methods: The proliferation changes of CD3+T cells were detected by CCK8, and the apoptosis of CD4+ and CD8+T cells and Treg cells were determined by flow cytometry. Seventeen patients with active ITP and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were selected. The frequency changes of Belimumab on these cell subpopulations were analyzed.

Results: We found that Belimumab could inhibit the proliferation of CD3+T cells and reverse the proportion of Treg cells (P=0.0426,P=0.0204), but unfortunately, it had no statistical significance on the apoptotic changes of CD4+T and CD8+T cells, as shown in the figure below.

Conclusion(s): Belimumab has some positive effects on T cells of ITP, or provides a new treatment for ITP patients, which needs further clinical trials to verify.