Gotowa bibliografia na temat „Ficoll-Hypaque method”

The purification of human neutrophils forin vitrostudies is challenging as they are easily activated through ex vivo manipulations. The technique of erythrocyte sedimentation combined with density gradient centrifugation remains widely practiced and was the subject of this study. Since in the sedimentation step the leukocytes are incubated with dextran, we have raised the likelihood that cellular activation would occur with mediator release leading to neutrophil activation. By comparing the activity of neutrophils purified from whole blood by the classical 2-step method of dextran sedimentation followed by low-density Ficoll-Hypaque (1.077 g/mL) medium, and the 1-step high-density Ficoll-Hypaque (1.114 g/mL) gradient centrifugation, we found that neutrophils from the 2-step method had a significant increase in cell surface CD11b expression and CD62L shedding and a marked increase in adhesion. Decreased random migration and chemotaxis and raised baseline oxidative burst activity were also observed. The effect was not specific to dextran, as using Ficoll for erythrocyte sedimentation replicated the elevated neutrophil adherence. Through the depletion of monocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets prior to sedimentation, we deduced that monocytes were responsible for the neutrophil activation. Our findings suggest that care needs to be exercised in choosing the method of neutrophil purification for functional studies.

Background & Objectives: Assays for neutrophils constitute an important component of screening tests in clinical immunology. There are no standard protocols for performing many of these tests and procedures vary from one laboratory to another. In addition, normal ranges for these assays in healthy Indian population have not been defined. Hence, an attempt is made to evaluate and present a simple technique for WBC isolation and NBT test. Methods: The study involved participation of 30 healthy adult volunteers. Ten of blood sample collected from each subject was subjected to three different procedures for isolation of WBCs - Ficoll-Hypaque gradient, dextran sedimentation and gelatin sedimentation methods. Cells isolated from these procedures were then used to perform NBT test. Smears were prepared, stained with Giemsa and results were expressed as % of stimulated and unstimulated cells. Results: The mean cell yield from both dextran and gelatin methods was comparable (2921.67cells vs 2806.67cells/cu mm). The cell yield from Ficoll-Hypaque method was much lower (1408.33 cells/cu mm). In NBT test, the mean readings of stimulated (61%) and unstimulated cells (18%) were almost similar in all three procedures of cell isolation. Conclusions: Comparison of procedures show that gelatin and dextran sedimentation methods yield high amount of relatively purified WBCs. The efficacy of cells isolated from all three procedures in NBT test was almost similar. The range of stimulated and unstimualted cells in the subjects were within expected levels. Gelatin sedimentation is economical, easy to perform and can be adopted to any clinical laboratory for WBC isolation.

We investigated the effect of ciprofloxacin, rifampicine and doxycycline on myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in allergic asthma patients and healthy volunteers. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were isolated with ficoll-hypaque gradient centrifugation method. MPO activity was assayed with modified o-dianisidine, GSH by Ellman's and MDA levels by Beuge's method. PMN functions and MDA levels of patients significantly decreased when compared with healthy volunteers. Ciprofloxacin significantly increased PMN functions, MPO activity and MDA levels of both groups. We have demonstrated that ciprofloxacin has beneficial effects on MPO activity and PMN functions in allergic asthma patients and healthy volunteers.

Abstract Platelets, mononucleated cells, polymorphonucleated cells, and erythrocytes were separated from whole blood by use of discontinuous gradients of colloidal polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silica ("Percoll"). We measured the zinc content of these cells by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, using a modified technique for micro-samples that obviated matrix interferences. Thus, results obtained by conventional flame atomic absorption and by the micro-method were identical. Inter-comparisons of separation methods indicated that separation of platelets and mononucleated cells by a two-gradient system of "Ficoll-Hypaque" (a synthetic polymer of sucrose) or Percoll was relatively poor, whereas there was a good separation when a tertiary gradient system of Percoll was used. The apparent zinc content of mononucleated cells depended on the degree of separation from the platelets, with contamination by platelets resulting in artificially high values for mononucleated cells.

Abstract The magnesium content of mononuclear blood cells may provide a better assessment of intracellular magnesium or total body magnesium status than does measurement of magnesium in plasma or erythrocytes. We describe a method for determining this, and report results for 20 normal volunteers. The mononuclear cells are separated with a discontinuous Ficoll-Hypaque gradient, washed, centrifuged at 400 X g, and lysed by sonication in 10 mmol/L NaCl. The magnesium in the cell lysate, with 2.93 g of added lanthanum oxide per liter, is determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean mononuclear cell magnesium content in our volunteers was 70.7 (SD 14.1) fg per cell and 9.29 (SD 1.85) mg/g of DNA. The CVs for the determinations of magnesium, DNA, and cell count were 3.0%, 5.0%, and 8.7%, respectively. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.67, p less than 0.001) between results by the two methods of expressing magnesium content of mononuclear cells. However, by either method there were no significant correlations among results for magnesium concentration of mononuclear cells, plasma, or erythrocytes.

Abstract We describe a method for measuring plasma, erythrocyte, and leukocyte sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and magnesium (Mg2+) concentrations in 10-mL blood specimens. After separating cells with Ficoll-Hypaque and washing with isotonic choline chloride, erythrocytes and leukocytes are counted, so that results can be expressed as amount of substance per cell and also to monitor cell integrity and possible contamination. Plasma and cell lysates were analyzed (CV less than or equal to 7.0%) with flame photometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. Reference intervals for an elderly population with values for plasma electrolytes within reference intervals are similar to those for younger healthy subjects. From data on biological variation, reference values for erythrocyte cations are not of much use, and analytical goals for precision are not met, but the results might be useful for monitoring disease progression in individual patients. In contrast, reference values for leukocyte cations are theoretically of use and goals are achieved, but large changes are required before consecutive results can confidently be said to be significantly different.

The ability of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production was cytochemically compared in eosinophils (EP) between specific pathogen free (SPF) and spontaneously Mycoplasma pulmonis-infected male rats (Wistar strain).Peritoneal cells including EP (PEP) were harvested with a cold Hanks' balanced salt solution containing 0.1% glucose (HBSSG). Simultaneously, blood granulocytes with eosinophils (BEP) were isolated from the same animals by a Ficoll-Hypaque method. Cells were incubated with latex particles in HBSSG for 60-90 min. Thereafter, cells were washed and transferred into a cerium (Ce) medium consisting of 0.1 M tris - maleate buffer, pH 7.5, 1mM CeCl3, 10 mM sodium azide, 0.1. glucose and 0.25 M sucrose. The incubation was carried out for 20 min at 37°C with occasional stirring. Some cells were incubated for 60 min at 37 °C in a DAB medium containing 0.1% 3.3’-diaminobenzidine 4HCl with particles in 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. All cells were then fixed with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide before processing for electron microscopy, x-ray microanalysis of the subcellular electron-dense reaction deposits was performed under a Tracor-Northern EDX attached to a JEM-1200EX STEM system.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (DM2) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are inflammatory pathologies. Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia and CKD by the gradual and irreversible loss of kidney function. Both diseases develop oxidative stress, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis. This study aimed to determine ROS production by granulocytes from renal patients (CKD) with or without diabetes. Methods: Granulocytes from patients with DM2, CKD, CKD-DM2, and healthy controls were purified using the Ficoll-Hypaque gradient method. Granulocyte ROS generation in the absence or the presence of PDB (an activator of NADPH-oxidase) or Concanavalin A (Toll- receptor 3,9 activator) was evaluated in a luminol-dependent chemiluminescence method. The cell-free DNA in the serum of DM2, CKD, and CKD-DM2 patients was measured by the fluorescence method before and after hemodialysis. Results: Our results show a significant increase in ROS production by granulocytes from patients with CKD, DM2, and CKD-DM2 compared to healthy control (p<0.05). CKD-DM2 group produced the most significant ROS levels with or without NADPH-oxidase activation. ROS production showed a significant increase in the presence of ConA. In contrast, mitochondrial (internal) ROS showed a different ROS response. DNA extrusion was higher in the CKD-DM2 group after hemodialysis suggesting cell death. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that CKD-DM2 patients produced high ROS generation levels and increased DNA extrusion after hemodialysis. It may suggest that CKD-DM2 disease is more severe and has a worse clinical prognosis.

The incidence of Squamous Cell Carcinoma is growing in certain populations to the extent that it is now the most common skin lesion in young men and women in high ultraviolet exposure regions such as Queensland. In terms of incidence up to 45% of the Australian population over 40 years of age is thought to possess the precancerous Solar Keratosis lesion and with a small but significant chance of progression into SCC, understanding the genetic events that play a role in this process is essential. The major aims of this study were to analyse whole blood derived samples for DNA aberrations in genes associated with tumour development and cellular maintenance, with the ultimate aim of identifying genes associated with non-melanoma skin cancer development. This study had an explicit emphasis on the mitochondrial genome and nuclear genes that encode for subunits in the mitochondrial regulated energy transducing oxidative phosphorylation pathways. More specifically the first aim of this project was to analyse the NDUFA8, PTCH, NDUFAS, SMOH, SDHD, MMPI2, NDUFV1, EMSI, COXVIIc, and RASAI genes via non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR for genetic aberrations in an affected Solar Keratosis and control cohort. The second aim was to analyse two specific genes, SDHD and MMPI2, for copy number aberrations via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR in the same affected Solar Keratosis and control cohort. The third aim was to analyse Mitochondrial DNA Depletion syndrome (MDS) in a chemically exposed RAAF personnel cohort via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR. The significance of these studies is in their contribution to the knowledge of the genetic pathways that are malformed in the progression and development of the pre-cancerous skin lesion Solar Keratosis. Furthermore, it would determine whether the genes analysed in this study exist in greater prevalence in the affected Solar Keratosis population compared to the control cohort. With regard to the MDS component, identifying the presence of this disease in these individuals was initially undertaken as part of a study to provide evidence in compensation claims. The diagnosis may assist in their medical therapy, insofar as some of them were now suffering from liver malfunctions and atypical male breast cancer. Another application of this effective and low cost method of diagnosing MDS is in populations with high HTV incidences. This is due to the fact that the most common drug used to treat this disease can give rise to the expression of MDS, thus further complicating the health status of HIV infected individuals. The analysis of this research was accomplished via the Real-Time PCR technique, with a non-specific fluorophore component in addition to specific Dual-Labelled Probe components, to ascertain the general nature of any aberration identified in the sample cohort. This project also employed additional methods of analysis such as DHPLC and DNA sequencing to assist in determining the veracity of its aims, particularly in terms of the precise detection of genetic aberrations via Real-Time PCR. Patients exhibiting male breast cancer and liver malftinctions were also analysed via Dual-Labelled Probe RealTime PCR to ascertain the presence of Mitochondrial DNA Depletion syndrome, a disorder characterised by lactic acidosis, liver failure, seizures, and congestive heart failure. Determining the presence of this syndrome in these patients would assist in their medical treatment, and contribute to the analytical methods available to diagnose this syndrome, which is known to occur in HIV sufferers due to the nucleoside drugs used to combat the disease. Real-Time PCR can adequately gauge the integrity of a genetic area in terms of amplicon malformities (non-specific-fluorophoric) and DNA copy number aberrations (Dual-Labelled Probe) via fluorophore signal differentials compared to wild-type samples and housekeeper profiles. The results of the first component of this project, namely the analysis of five gene pairs by non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR, highlighted that a significantly higher incidence of putative aberrants is evident in the affected population when compared to the control cohort. The genes analysed were NDUFA8, PTCH, NDUFA5, SMOH, SDHD, MMP 12, NDUFVI, EMS 1, COXVIIc, and RASA 1. These ten genes were subdivided into five pairs; one of the pair being a gene associated with the development of a non-melanotic skin cancer (NMSC), the other a gene encoding for a subunit of the Electron Transport Chain (ETC). Each of these pairs exists in close proximity to one another on a particular chromosomal locale. Differences were highlighted in the single gene triplicate run population. The ETC genes (NDUFA8, NDUFA5, SDHD, NIDUFVI, COXVIIc) exhibited 10 / 720 (1.37%) as being putative mutants in the control population, compared to 117 / 675 (17.3%) for the affected population (p value less than 0.0001). The NMSC gene analysis (PTCH, SMOH, MMPI2, EMSI, RASA1) produced a 16 / 720 (2.22%) ratio for the control population, with the affected population having an incidence of 97 / 675 (14.4 %) for putative mutants (p value less than 0.0001). The observance of putative aberrants in the NDUFVI (p less than 0.018), EMS1 (p less than 0.003), COXVTIc (p less than 0.001), and RASA I (p less than 0.009) genes in the affected Solar Keratosis (SK) population was significantly higher than that observed in the control population. The majority of aberrations detected via the non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR technique were small nucleotide base insertions and deletions. The analysis of the SK affected and control cohort via Real-Time PCR proved a cost-effective and reliable method in identifying the presence of DNA aberrations such as non-instructional sites. The results of the second component extended the findings of the non-specific fluorophoric analysis. The SDHD and MMPI 2 genes were analysed for copy number aberrations via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR for genetic aberrations the same affected and control Solar Keratosis cohort. It was found that 12 of 279 samples had identifiable copy-number aberrations in either the SDHD or MMPI2 gene (this means that a genetic section of either of these two genes is aberrantly amplified or deleted), with five of the samples exhibiting aberrations in both genes. The MMPI2 gene also had nine samples identified as possessing an intronic heterozygous base-pair substitution anomaly via DNA sequencing. The NDUFA8 gene had 12 samples identified as anomalous via the DHPLC technique, 11 of which were identified via non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR, with the analysis performed to verify the accuracy of the Real-Time technique in identifying DNA aberrations. This study identified DNA aberrations in an affected Solar Keratosis and control cohort and ascertained several particular genomic abnomialities in the SDHD, MMPI2 and NDUFA8 genes, with an emphasis on copy-number aberrations and amplicon abnormalities. In the third component of this study, namely the analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Depletion syndrome (MDS) in a jet-fuel exposed RAAF personnel cohort via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR, the results indicated that four of the seven patients were expressing MDS. Of the four patients who exhibited a reduction in mitochondrial copy-number the average decrease was of a four-fold level, or approximately a depletion of mitochondrial copies from 200 plus to ~ 54 (74 % reduction in MtDNA). The patients who contributed DNA for investigation into the presence of MDS were suffering from liver malfunction and atypical male breast cancer. The Dual-Labelled Probe technique proved a reliable and cost effective method in identifying the presence of MDS in these patients, with the DNA extracted from fresh white blood cells that had been isolated using the Ficoll-Hypaque method. The importance of this is that accurate levels of Mitochondrial DNA copy numbers can be ascertained in white blood cells as it removes the presence of platelets, which also contain mitochondria but no nucleus. The analysis of ETC and NMSC associated genes in addition to mitochondrial copy number integrity means that this study investigated two aspects of the carcinogenetic pathway i.e. abnormal energy regulation and the regulation of micromolecular and macromolecular cellular homeostatic mechanisms. The mechanism of programmed cell death or apoptosis is regulated by the mitochondria and the ability of a genetically damaged cell to evade the apoptotic process is directly linked to a cell becoming cancerous. It is only after the evasion of apoptosis and the replication of the damaged cells' DNA into daughter cells that neoplastic events can occur. Thus, this study contributed to the understanding of how neo-plastic lesions may develop and progress into invasive tumours. It additionally assisted in proving the effectiveness of the RealTime PCR technique in detecting DNA aberrations and mitochondrial copy number anomalies.

The incidence of Squamous Cell Carcinoma is growing in certain populations to the extent that it is now the most common skin lesion in young men and women in high ultraviolet exposure regions such as Queensland. In terms of incidence up to 45% of the Australian population over 40 years of age is thought to possess the precancerous Solar Keratosis lesion and with a small but significant chance of progression into SCC, understanding the genetic events that play a role in this process is essential. The major aims of this study were to analyse whole blood derived samples for DNA aberrations in genes associated with tumour development and cellular maintenance, with the ultimate aim of identifying genes associated with non-melanoma skin cancer development. This study had an explicit emphasis on the mitochondrial genome and nuclear genes that encode for subunits in the mitochondrial regulated energy transducing oxidative phosphorylation pathways. More specifically the first aim of this project was to analyse the NDUFA8, PTCH, NDUFAS, SMOH, SDHD, MMPI2, NDUFV1, EMSI, COXVIIc, and RASAI genes via non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR for genetic aberrations in an affected Solar Keratosis and control cohort. The second aim was to analyse two specific genes, SDHD and MMPI2, for copy number aberrations via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR in the same affected Solar Keratosis and control cohort. The third aim was to analyse Mitochondrial DNA Depletion syndrome (MDS) in a chemically exposed RAAF personnel cohort via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR. The significance of these studies is in their contribution to the knowledge of the genetic pathways that are malformed in the progression and development of the pre-cancerous skin lesion Solar Keratosis. Furthermore, it would determine whether the genes analysed in this study exist in greater prevalence in the affected Solar Keratosis population compared to the control cohort. With regard to the MDS component, identifying the presence of this disease in these individuals was initially undertaken as part of a study to provide evidence in compensation claims. The diagnosis may assist in their medical therapy, insofar as some of them were now suffering from liver malfunctions and atypical male breast cancer. Another application of this effective and low cost method of diagnosing MDS is in populations with high HTV incidences. This is due to the fact that the most common drug used to treat this disease can give rise to the expression of MDS, thus further complicating the health status of HIV infected individuals. The analysis of this research was accomplished via the Real-Time PCR technique, with a non-specific fluorophore component in addition to specific Dual-Labelled Probe components, to ascertain the general nature of any aberration identified in the sample cohort. This project also employed additional methods of analysis such as DHPLC and DNA sequencing to assist in determining the veracity of its aims, particularly in terms of the precise detection of genetic aberrations via Real-Time PCR. Patients exhibiting male breast cancer and liver malftinctions were also analysed via Dual-Labelled Probe RealTime PCR to ascertain the presence of Mitochondrial DNA Depletion syndrome, a disorder characterised by lactic acidosis, liver failure, seizures, and congestive heart failure. Determining the presence of this syndrome in these patients would assist in their medical treatment, and contribute to the analytical methods available to diagnose this syndrome, which is known to occur in HIV sufferers due to the nucleoside drugs used to combat the disease. Real-Time PCR can adequately gauge the integrity of a genetic area in terms of amplicon malformities (non-specific-fluorophoric) and DNA copy number aberrations (Dual-Labelled Probe) via fluorophore signal differentials compared to wild-type samples and housekeeper profiles. The results of the first component of this project, namely the analysis of five gene pairs by non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR, highlighted that a significantly higher incidence of putative aberrants is evident in the affected population when compared to the control cohort. The genes analysed were NDUFA8, PTCH, NDUFA5, SMOH, SDHD, MMP 12, NDUFVI, EMS 1, COXVIIc, and RASA 1. These ten genes were subdivided into five pairs; one of the pair being a gene associated with the development of a non-melanotic skin cancer (NMSC), the other a gene encoding for a subunit of the Electron Transport Chain (ETC). Each of these pairs exists in close proximity to one another on a particular chromosomal locale. Differences were highlighted in the single gene triplicate run population. The ETC genes (NDUFA8, NDUFA5, SDHD, NIDUFVI, COXVIIc) exhibited 10 / 720 (1.37%) as being putative mutants in the control population, compared to 117 / 675 (17.3%) for the affected population (p value less than 0.0001). The NMSC gene analysis (PTCH, SMOH, MMPI2, EMSI, RASA1) produced a 16 / 720 (2.22%) ratio for the control population, with the affected population having an incidence of 97 / 675 (14.4 %) for putative mutants (p value less than 0.0001). The observance of putative aberrants in the NDUFVI (p less than 0.018), EMS1 (p less than 0.003), COXVTIc (p less than 0.001), and RASA I (p less than 0.009) genes in the affected Solar Keratosis (SK) population was significantly higher than that observed in the control population. The majority of aberrations detected via the non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR technique were small nucleotide base insertions and deletions. The analysis of the SK affected and control cohort via Real-Time PCR proved a cost-effective and reliable method in identifying the presence of DNA aberrations such as non-instructional sites. The results of the second component extended the findings of the non-specific fluorophoric analysis. The SDHD and MMPI 2 genes were analysed for copy number aberrations via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR for genetic aberrations the same affected and control Solar Keratosis cohort. It was found that 12 of 279 samples had identifiable copy-number aberrations in either the SDHD or MMPI2 gene (this means that a genetic section of either of these two genes is aberrantly amplified or deleted), with five of the samples exhibiting aberrations in both genes. The MMPI2 gene also had nine samples identified as possessing an intronic heterozygous base-pair substitution anomaly via DNA sequencing. The NDUFA8 gene had 12 samples identified as anomalous via the DHPLC technique, 11 of which were identified via non-specific fluorophoric Real-Time PCR, with the analysis performed to verify the accuracy of the Real-Time technique in identifying DNA aberrations. This study identified DNA aberrations in an affected Solar Keratosis and control cohort and ascertained several particular genomic abnomialities in the SDHD, MMPI2 and NDUFA8 genes, with an emphasis on copy-number aberrations and amplicon abnormalities. In the third component of this study, namely the analysis of Mitochondrial DNA Depletion syndrome (MDS) in a jet-fuel exposed RAAF personnel cohort via Dual-Labelled Probe Real-Time PCR, the results indicated that four of the seven patients were expressing MDS. Of the four patients who exhibited a reduction in mitochondrial copy-number the average decrease was of a four-fold level, or approximately a depletion of mitochondrial copies from 200 plus to ~ 54 (74 % reduction in MtDNA). The patients who contributed DNA for investigation into the presence of MDS were suffering from liver malfunction and atypical male breast cancer. The Dual-Labelled Probe technique proved a reliable and cost effective method in identifying the presence of MDS in these patients, with the DNA extracted from fresh white blood cells that had been isolated using the Ficoll-Hypaque method. The importance of this is that accurate levels of Mitochondrial DNA copy numbers can be ascertained in white blood cells as it removes the presence of platelets, which also contain mitochondria but no nucleus. The analysis of ETC and NMSC associated genes in addition to mitochondrial copy number integrity means that this study investigated two aspects of the carcinogenetic pathway i.e. abnormal energy regulation and the regulation of micromolecular and macromolecular cellular homeostatic mechanisms. The mechanism of programmed cell death or apoptosis is regulated by the mitochondria and the ability of a genetically damaged cell to evade the apoptotic process is directly linked to a cell becoming cancerous. It is only after the evasion of apoptosis and the replication of the damaged cells' DNA into daughter cells that neoplastic events can occur. Thus, this study contributed to the understanding of how neo-plastic lesions may develop and progress into invasive tumours. It additionally assisted in proving the effectiveness of the RealTime PCR technique in detecting DNA aberrations and mitochondrial copy number anomalies.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences
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Prolactin (PRL) displays several functions in the whole body by binding its receptor (PRL-R). Two main PRL-R isoforms are reported that differ in their capacity to trigger signaling pathways, PRL-R long isoform is the activation receptor, and the short isoform is the inhibitory oner. Although many autoimmune diseases display hyperprolactinemia, the role of each PRL-R isoform expression in autoimmunity remains unknown. This work aimed to correlate PRL-R isoforms expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of female Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients and healthy controls. To this end, PBMCs from lupus patients (n=9) and healthy controls (n=5) were enriched by the ficoll-hypaque method. Then, RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and real-time PCR were performed to determine mRNA expression. We found that PRL-R long and short isoforms expression from lupus patients display similar expression to healthy controls. However, the PRL-RL/PRL-RS ratio is higher than healthy controls (P-value two-tailed <0,05). Additionally, PRL-RL isoform expression correlates with the short isoform in lupus patients (Spearman r 0,8945; 95% confidence interval 0,6834 to 0,9676; P-value two-tailed <0,0001). However, the expression of neither long and short isoforms correlates with active disease nor disease duration. Similarly, lupus patients display similar PRL-R isoforms expression than healthy controls. Although much work must be done, our data indicate that similar mechanisms may regulate the expression of both PRL-R isoforms in immune cells, and “their expression goes hand by hand”. , ,