Clinicopathological correlations of podoplanin (gp38) expression in rheumatoid synovium and its potential contribution to fibroblast platelet crosstalk

PLoS One. 2014 Jun 16;9(6):e99607. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099607. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Introduction: Synovial fibroblasts (SF) undergo phenotypic changes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that contribute to inflammatory joint destruction. This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical and functional significance of ectopic podoplanin (gp38) expression by RA SF.

Methods: Expression of gp38 and its CLEC2 receptor was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in synovial arthroscopic biopsies from RA patients and normal and osteoarthritic controls. Correlation between gp38 expression and RA clinicopathological variables was analyzed. In patients rebiopsied after anti-TNF-α therapy, changes in gp38 expression were determined. Platelet-SF coculture and gp38 silencing in SF were used to analyze the functional contribution of gp38 to SF migratory and invasive properties, and to SF platelet crosstalk.

Results: gp38 was abundantly but variably expressed in RA, and it was undetectable in normal synovial tissues. Among clinicopathologigal RA variables, significantly increased gp38 expression was only found in patients with lymphoid neogenesis (LN), and RF or ACPA autoantibodies. Cultured synovial but not dermal fibroblasts showed strong constitutive gp38 expression that was further induced by TNF-α. In RA patients, anti-TNF-α therapy significantly reduced synovial gp38 expression. In RA synovium, CLEC2 receptor expression was only observed in platelets. gp38 silencing in cultured SF did not modify their migratory and invasive properties but reduced the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 genes induced by SF-platelet interaction.

Conclusions: In RA, synovial expression of gp38 is strongly associated to LN and it is reduced after anti-TNF-α therapy. Interaction between gp38 and CLEC2 platelet receptor is feasible in RA synovium in vivo and can specifically contribute to gene expression by SF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antirheumatic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / metabolism*
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / pathology
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism
  • Blood Platelets / physiology*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coculture Techniques
  • Endothelium, Vascular / pathology
  • Fibroblasts / physiology*
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Lectins, C-Type / biosynthesis
  • Lectins, C-Type / genetics
  • Lymphoid Tissue / pathology
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / biosynthesis
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology*
  • Osteoarthritis / metabolism
  • Osteoarthritis / pathology
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Stromal Cells / pathology
  • Synovial Membrane / metabolism*
  • Synovial Membrane / pathology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • CLEC2B protein, human
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • PDPN protein, human
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS 12/439, RETICS RD12/0009 RIER, and Río Hortega program to R. F.), and Comunidad de Madrid (S2010/BMD2350, RAPHYME). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.