#1261 A small-molecule inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase reduces production of galactose-deficient IgA1 in IgA nephropathy
Authors: Yamada Koshi , Ogiwara Kei , Reily Colin , Julian Bruce A , Green Todd J , Suzuki Hitoshi , Suzuki Yusuke , Novak Jan 
Published: May 2024

Background and Aims

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a chronic kidney disease characterized by glomerular immunodeposits that contain aberrantly glycosylated IgA1, i.e., IgA1 with some hinge-region O-glycans deficient in galactose (galactose-deficient IgA1; Gd-IgA1). These immunodeposits originate from circulating immune complexes that contain Gd-IgA1 bound by IgG autoantibodies. Consistent with this hypothesis, serum levels of Gd-IgA1 and IgG autoantibodies independently predict disease progression in IgAN patients. Biochemical studies using IgA1-secreting cell lines derived from peripheral blood of IgAN patients and healthy controls have revealed that Gd-IgA1 production is driven by altered biosynthetic pathways of IgA1 O-glycans. Specifically, cell lines from IgAN patients have altered expression and activity of several glycosyltransferases, C1GalT1 and ST6GalNAc2, and a C1GalT1-specific chaperone, C1GalT1C1. Genetic studies have shown that serum levels of Gd-IgA1 are genetically co-determined and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified genetic variations that impact the expression C1GALT1 and C1GALT1C1 genes. Moreover, macroscopic hematuria during an upper-respiratory-tract infection is common at the clinical onset of IgAN and during episodes of accentuated disease activity, indicating a connection between IgAN and mucosal inflammation. Notably, a pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), enhances production of Gd-IgA1 exclusively in the cell lines derived from IgAN patients. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has similar effects. LIF-induced effects are mediated by abnormal STAT1 signaling and pathways that include Lyn, a Src-family kinase. The corresponding gene, LYN, was recently identified in one of the 16 new IgAN-associated GWAS loci. Lyn, together with spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk), is involved in B-cell-receptor (BCR)-signaling pathways that include activation and inhibitory signals. The aim of this study was to assess if Btk may be involved in Gd-IgA1 production in IgAN.

Method

IgA1-producing cell lines were cloned by limiting dilution of Epstein-Barr-virus-immortalized peripheral-blood B cells from patients with IgAN (n = 5) and healthy controls (n = 5). Cell signaling, induced by LIF or by BCR crosslinking with anti-IgA antibody, was assessed by flow cytometry or SDS-PAGE/immunoblotting using antibodies for specific phosphorylated sites of selected proteins. Data were normalized using antibodies for specific proteins. Total IgA and Gd-IgA1 were quantified in cell-culture medium using standard ELISA and lectin-ELISA, respectively. Gd-IgA1, normalized to IgA, was expressed in Units (U) of standard Gd-IgA1 protein.

Results

IgA1-producing cell lines from patients with IgAN and healthy controls secreted similar amounts of total IgA (17.2 ± 9.3 ug/ml vs. 14.6 ± 9.5 ug/ml), but the cells from IgAN patients secreted more Gd-IgA1 (24.2 ± 7.5 U vs. 15.5 ± 2.7 U; p &lt; 0.05). Baseline phosphorylation of Btk (Y223), but not Syk (Y551), was higher in the cells from patients with IgAN than in those from healthy controls. We used an IgA1-secreting cell line from an IgAN patient to confirm that BCR crosslinking with F(ab’)2 anti-IgA antibody in IgA + CD19+ cells lines induced phosphorylation of Btk (Y223). Conversely, anti-IgM antibody, used as a negative control, did not activate Btk. LIF stimulation did not affect phosphorylation of Btk or Syk. A Btk inhibitor, PCI-32765 (ibrutinib), reduced Gd-IgA1 production in a dose-dependent fashion exclusively in the IgAN-derived cells. Notably, 1 uM PCI-32765 reduced Gd-IgA1 production to that for healthy controls (25.7 ± 1.2 U to 17.3 ± 1.8 U; p &lt; 0.01).

Conclusion

Inhibition of Btk with a small-molecule inhibitor normalized Gd-IgA1 production in IgA1-secreting cells from patients with IgAN, revealing a previously unknown role of Btk in aberrant O-glycosylation of IgA1. Btk may thus represent a potential new target for disease-specific therapy of IgAN.