The Significance Of Megakaryocyte Apoptosis In Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Complicated With Thrombocytopenia

Objectives: To explore whether the megakaryocyte apoptosis was involved into themechanisms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated withthrombocytopenia.Methods:8patients of SLE complicated with thrombocytopenia who were admitted toYIJISHAN Hospital from November2012to January2014were involvedinto the study.10patients of primary immune thrombocytopenic purpurawere selected as ITP control group，8patients of normal platelet controlgroup were selected.Their bone marrow were collected. Marrow cellswere initially enriched for megakaryocytes by a Percoll density gradient.We tested the Mean fluoreseence intensity (MFI) of CD41a and the rate ofmegakaryocyte apoptosis by using flow cytometry instrumenttechnology.Compared the differences between them. Analyzed thecorrelation between the experimental data and the clinical indexes.Results:（1）The amount of bone marrow megakaryocyte in SLE complicated withthrombocytopenia（16±16）was lower than that in ITP group（56±35）,and thisdifference reached statistical significance （P<0.001）.(2)The Meanfluoreseence intensity(MFI) of CD41a in（2355±1997）SLE complicatedwith thrombocytopenia was lower than that in ITP group（9430±3673）,andthis difference reached statistical significance（P<0.001）.(3) The total rate ofmegakaryocyte apoptosis in SLE complicated with thrombocytopenia(18.9±8.1) and that in ITP group（15.6±7.7）was higher thanthat in normal platelet control group（3.7±2.1）, and this difference reachedstatistical significance （P<0.001）.(4) The rate of megakaryocyte earlyapoptosis has a negative correlation with peripheral platelet counts inpatients of SLE with thrombocytopenia (r=-0.538)。.Conclusions:(1).The rate of megakaryocyte apoptosis of systemic lupuserythematosus (SLE) complicated with thrombocytopenia was increasedand it has a negative correlation with peripheral platelet counts, Itprompts that apoptosis may be involved into the mechanisms ofsystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated withthrombocytopenia.(2). Compared with the middle-lateapoptosis,early apoptosis may have more significance in systemic lupuserythematosus patients complicated with thrombocytopenia, and it isneed to further study to identify the pathogenic mechanism.