Increased expression of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase in peripheral blood is associated with lupus nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease manifested by multiorgan impairment. It is reported that B cells participate in the onset of SLE. Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (Btk), as a downstream signaling molecule of B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling pathway, is involved in the development, activation, and survival of B cells. The aim of our study was to explore the specific role of Btk in lupus nephritis (LN). We determined the percentages of Btk+ B cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from SLE patients by flow cytometry and analyzed the correlation between the percentage of Btk+ B cells and lupus-related clinical indexes. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the Btk expression in kidney from LN patients and tumor surrounding tissues. Compared with controls, the frequency of Btk+ B cells in SLE patients was upregulated (p < 0.01), and it was significantly correlated with the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) (p < 0.01), levels of plasma anti-dsDNA antibody (p < 0.05), the amount of 24-h urine protein (p < 0.05), and levels of plasma C3 (p < 0.05). The frequency of Btk+ B cells in the patients with LN was significantly higher than those without LN (p < 0.05). Although the Btk expression in glomerulus of LN patients was significantly increased compared with controls (p < 0.001), but it had no correlation with the renal pathology activity index, SLEDAI, or 24-h urine protein. In conclusion, the increased expression of Btk in peripheral blood was correlated with LN, indicating that it may be a therapeutic target for SLE.