Clinical significance of B7-H2 expression in peripheral blood CD14+CD16+ monocytes in patients with acute pancreatitis

Objective
To explore the clinical significance of B7 family homology factor-3 (B7-H3), an expression membrane type of myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC), in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP).


Methods
A total of 63 patients with AP initially treated in the Emergency Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January, 2014 to December, 2015 were selected.Of them, 25 suffered from mild AP (MAP), 20 had moderate AP (MSAP) and 18 had severe AP (SAP). Another 20 healthy subjects with matching age and gender served as the control group. All patients with AP conformed to the diagnostic criteria of Guidelines or Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis set in 2013 in China. Patients with other underlying diseases that might influence the clinical outcomes were excluded, including those with tumors, autoimmune diseases, viral infections, trauma and other disorders. A flowcytometer was used to detect the expression rate of MDSC in peripheral venous blood and the expression of B7-H3 on MDSC membrane. The continuous monitoring was carried out for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h in patients with AP.


Results
Compared with healthy subjects, the MDSC cells in patient groups 24 hours after AP onset increased notably(P<0.01)especially the highest increase in the SAP group, followed by the MSAP group and the lowest in the MAP group. There were significant differences in pairwise comparisons(P<0.05). From successive observation of each group, there was no significant difference in MDSC between the MAP group and the MSAP group 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after AP onset. However, MDSC reached its peak 48 hours after AP onset, but it declined 72 hours after AP onset in the SAP group(P<0.05). B7-H3 expressed significantly 24 hours after AP onset, but there was no expression of B7-H3 in the healthy group. Meanwhile, B7-H3 was expressed most highly in the SAP group, followed by the MSAP group and lowest in the MAP group. There were significant differences in expression of B7-H3 found in pairwise comparisons(P<0.05). The successive observation showed that there was no significant difference in B7-H3 expression between the MAP group and the MSAP group 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after AP onset. However, there was a trend of increase in B7-H3 expression as time prolonged found among 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after AP onset in the SAP group (P<0.05).


Conclusions
The expressions of MDSC and B7-H3 were high in AP, and there were significant differences in both expressions among MAP, MSAP and SAP groups. These phenomena offer clues in further understanding about the immunological disorders during AP giving better guidelines for clinical practice.


Key words: 
Acute pancreatitis; Myeloid-derived suppressor cell; B7 family homology factor-3

Zhengjie Sun

Papers

Clinical significance of B7-H3, an expression membrane type of myeloid-derived suppressor cell in patients with acute pancreatitis