Immune system in hypoparathyroidism: the immune response and the role of calcium homeostasis

Anno
2021
Proponente Valeria Hasenmajer - Ricercatore
Sottosettore ERC del proponente del progetto
LS4_3
Componenti gruppo di ricerca
Componente Categoria
Mary Anna Venneri Aggiungi Tutor di riferimento (Professore o Ricercatore afferente allo stesso Dipartimento del Proponente)
Giulia Puliani Dottorando/Assegnista/Specializzando componente il gruppo di ricerca
Abstract

Hypoparathyroidism is characterized by inappropriately low levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), leading to hypocalcemia and hyperphosphoremia.
Previous research has highlighted the pivotal role of immune cells in mediating bone effects of PTH, and recent studies have shown a significant increase in infectious diseases in hypoparathyroidism, suggested a possible role for PTH-immune interactions beyond the osteoimmune niche in maintaining immune homeostasis.
Despite the increasing body of evidence on immune derangement in parathyroid disorders, data on the direct effect of PTH on the immune system are scarce.
We recently investigated the immune system in post-surgical hypoparathyroidism in a clinical trial (NCT04059380), discovering significant alterations in patients with inappropriately low levels of PTH. More specifically, patients with hypoparathyroidism had reduced circulating monocytes, CD4+ Lymphocytes, Treg Lymphocytes and CD4+ Naïve Lymphocytes, and increased Natural Killer cells. We also showed the presence of PTH receptor on all immune lineages, and highlighted a decrease in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Following these findings, the aim of the present study is to further investigate possible alterations in immune response in hypoparathyroidism using flow cytometry analysis of cytokine secretion after in vitro stimulation, and to analyse intracellular calcium mobilization in immune cells in patients and controls, thus evaluating the contribution of altered calcium homeostasis to the increased incidence of infectious diseases in hypoparathyroidism.

ERC
LS6_3, LS6_8
Keywords:
ENDOCRINOLOGIA, FISIOLOGIA DEL SISTEMA ENDOCRINO E RIPRODUTTIVO, IMMUNOLOGIA

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