Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Accelerated Aging

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by a breakdown of tolerance against nuclear antigens. Thanks to improvements during the last decades in diagnosis, therapeutics and medical care, the lifespan of SLE patients has remarkably increased. However, standardized mortality ratio are still high in this population, with an increased mortality and morbidity associated with cardiovascular events and infectious events. Interestingly, these conditions are more commonly found during old age in the general population, raising the question of the presence of an acceleration of the aging process in SLE patients.

It has been demonstrated that the aging of the immune system, i.e. immunosenescence, is a key player in the development of many age-related diseases. The acceleration of immunosenescence, as it is observed during chronic viral infections for example, could favor the premature occurrence of clinical manifestations of accelerated aging. The exact contribution of such phenomenon in the context of SLE has, so far, never been explored.

Here, the investigators propose to perform a comprehensive study of the phenomena of immune system aging in patients with SLE in comparison to age-matched healthy controls.

The study will recruit 50 SLE patients followed in Bordeaux University Hospital. Among classical disease activity information, blood samples will be collected at study visit to extensively evaluate immune system aging. Fundamental research will be realized on patients' samples. Patients will be included within their usual follow-up. No extra visit will be needed, and blood samples will be drawn at the same time as those drawn for clinical purposes.

• Absolute numbers of terminally differentiated T lymphocytes [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Percentages of terminally differentiated T lymphocytes among total lymphocytes [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Percentages of senescent lymphocytes among total lymphocytes [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Telomere length in sorted CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes subsets (naïve and memory) [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Frequency and phenotype of ELA-specific CD8+ T-cells after 10 days of in vitro priming [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Number of naïve T lymphocytes newly produced by thymus evaluated by T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) measurement [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Concentrations of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) markers in patients sera [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Presence or absence of anti-type I interferons autoantibodies in patients sera [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Measurement of disease activity according to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Measurement of disease activity according to British Lupus Assessment Group Index 2004 (BILAG-2004) [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Quantification of organ damage according to SLICC/ACR Damage Index [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]
• Levels of anti-double stranded DNA in patients sera [Срок оценки: At baseline (Day 0)]