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Hyperprolactinemia is associated with a high prevalence of serum autoantibodies, high levels of inflammatory cytokines and an abnormal distribution of peripheral B-cell subsets

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Abstract

Purpose

Hyperprolactinemia (HPRL) has been reported in many autoimmune diseases. However, the serum autoantibody profile and peripheral B-cell subset distribution in women with HPRL are largely unknown. The current study aimed to investigate the autoantibody prevalence and cytokine levels as well as to further explore the B-cell subset distribution in women with HPRL.

Methods

Sera from 202 women with HPRL and 97 healthy women were included in this study. All sera were examined for prolactin (PRL), anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), rheumatoid factor, anticardiolipin (ACL), immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, complement 3, complement 4, interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Peripheral blood was collected from 22 women with HPRL and 19 healthy women, and B-cell subsets were measured by flow cytometry.

Results

At least one autoantibody was found in 47 out of 202 women with HPRL compared with 9 of 97 healthy women (p < 0.001). The levels of IL-4 (p < 0.0001) and IL-6 (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in women with HPRL than in healthy women. The percentages of naive IgD+IgM− B cells (BND cells, p < 0.0001), antibody-secreting cells (p = 0.007) and unswitched memory B cells (p = 0.004) among the total B cells from HPRL women were significantly higher than those from healthy women.

Conclusions

Women with HPRL had a higher prevalence of autoantibodies, higher serum levels of IL-4 and IL-6, and more BND cells, antibody-secreting B cells and unswitched memory B cells than healthy women. These data imply that a high level of PRL is associated with autoimmune diseases.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all participating subjects who provided the blood samples and clinical information necessary for this study. We thank Dr. Fei Ye from the Department of Endocrinology, Changzheng Hospital, and Dr. Hu Peng from the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, for clinical medical history collection.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 81430031, 81302578 and 81501401), the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program, 2014CB541800) and the Pujiang Rheumatologist Training Program (SPROG201703).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

    Yaoyang Liu, Zhiguo Zhang, Qianmei Jin, Zijian Kang, Yongbao Huo, Jian Yin, Xin Wu & Huji Xu

  2. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

    Yang Liu

  3. Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

    Zhengwen He & Huaizhou Wang

  4. Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

    Xu Feng

  5. Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Huji Xu

  6. Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Huji Xu

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  1. Yaoyang Liu
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Correspondence to Huaizhou Wang or Huji Xu.

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All the recruited subjects who participated in the study provided informed consent. The study was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University.

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These authors contribute equally: Yaoyang Liu, Zhiguo Zhang, Qianmei Jin

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Liu, Y., Zhang, Z., Jin, Q. et al. Hyperprolactinemia is associated with a high prevalence of serum autoantibodies, high levels of inflammatory cytokines and an abnormal distribution of peripheral B-cell subsets. Endocrine 64, 648–656 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-019-01896-y

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