P204 Biomechanical Phenotype of Circulating Neutrophils Is Altered in ANCA Associated Vasculitis
Authors: Pisacano Noelle , McAdoo Stephen P , Guck Jochen , Pusey Charles D , Chilvers Edwin R , Cowburn Andrew C , Lodge Katharine M , Prendecki Maria F 
Published: April 2023

Background/Aims

Real Time-Deformability Cytometry (RT-DC) is a novel technique able to identify morpho-rheological characteristics of individual cells such as size, deformability, and elasticity using only 50µl of whole blood. Cells in suspension flow through a microfluidic channel while hydrodynamic force is applied, leading to reversible deformation of individual cells from shear stress and pressure gradients. Cell brightness and area can be used to identify individual cell types. The morpho-rheological characteristics of immune cells in ANCA associated vasculitis (AAV) are unknown.

Methods

Whole blood from healthy controls (HC), patients with active AAV, or patients with AAV in remission was analysed using RT-DC. The diagnosis of AAV was based upon positive ANCA testing, with either (i) pauci-immune glomerulonephritis, or (ii) typical clinical features of extra-renal AAV. Patients with active disease may have received steroids prior to sampling but those who received other immunosuppression or cytotoxics were excluded. Remission was defined as BVAS of 0 with prednisolone dose ≤7.5mg/day. Blood was collected into K2 EDTA and diluted 1:20 in 1xPBS/0.6% methylcellulose. Cell suspensions were flowed across a Flic20 polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic chip, containing reservoirs connected by a measurement channel with a 20x20 μm2 cross-section. RT-DC measurements were collected at a flow rate of 0.12μL/s using a high-speed CMOS camera to capture images at a rate of 2000 frames/second. ShapeOut software was used to calculate cell size, deformation, and elasticity.

Results

There was no difference in neutrophil size between patients with active AAV (n = 15), patients with AAV in remission (n = 31), and HC (n = 15). Neutrophils from patients with active AAV were significantly stiffer than patients in remission or HC, displaying decreased deformation (median 0.084, 0.085, and 0.078 au respectively, p = 0.0068) and increased elasticity (median 0.973, 0.968 and 1.006 au respectively, p = 0.0196). In patients with active AAV, there was strong inverse correlation between neutrophil deformation and disease activity measured by BVAS score (r=-0.573, p = 0.032). Neutrophils isolated from healthy donors exhibited a trend towards decreased deformability when primed with TNF and stimulated with MPO-ANCA IgG compared to unstimulated or cells treated with healthy donor IgG (median 0.086, 0.085, and 0.083 for unstimulated, control IgG, and MPO-ANCA IgG respectively, ns).

Conclusion

Neutrophils from patients display distinct physical properties in active AAV which correlate with disease activity. Similar results are seen when neutrophils are stimulated in vitro with MPO-ANCA IgG. This phenotype of increased cell stiffness may lead to increased neutrophil retention in pulmonary and renal microvasculature, thus increasing the potential for neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions and microvascular damage. Morphorheological parameters can be rapidly measured using a small volume of whole blood; thus, RT-DC may be a useful technique to aid identification of disease activity in AAV and to guide treatment.

Disclosure

N. Pisacano: None. S.P. McAdoo: None. J. Guck: None. C.D. Pusey: None. E.R. Chilvers: None. A.C. Cowburn: None. K.M. Lodge: None. M.F. Prendecki: None.