Cannabinoid receptor expression profiling in lymphocyte subsets reveals clinically relevant immune patterns in SLE

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Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to determine the expression of cannabinoid receptors in lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with healthy controls, and to evaluate whether receptor expression is associated with disease activity. Methods: Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 35 SLE patients and 35 healthy controls, we employed multiparametric flow cytometry to characterize T-cell and B-cell subpopulations and their expression of cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1R) and 2 (CB2R). Results: Our results reveal a significant imbalance in receptor expression: SLE patients exhibited higher CB2R and lower CB1R levels compared with controls across multiple subsets. Notably, CB1R expression strongly correlated with disease activity, while patients in remission showed expression patterns more similar to healthy individuals. Furthermore, CB2R expression in specific B-cell subsets correlated with clinical manifestations, and its distribution pattern demonstrated a significant ability to distinguish between active disease and remission in ROC analysis. Discussion: These findings indicate that SLE is characterized by altered cannabinoid receptor profiles in lymphocytes, suggesting that CB1R and CB2R modulation could serve as both a clinical biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for managing the disease.

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