Significance of CD44 and CD62P expression in peripheral blood from patients with IgA nephropathy

Objective To observe the changes of adhesion molecule glycoprotein (CD44) and adhesion molecule P-selectin (CD62P) expression in peripheral blood of patients with IgA nephropathy, and to explore the role and clinical significance of CD44 and CD62P in IgA nephropathy. Methods Peripheral blood samples collected from 40 IgA nephropathy patients and 36 normal people were tested for the number of lymphocytes expressing CD44 and the number of platelets expressing CD62P were counted by flow cytometry. Results The percentage of CD44-positive lymphocytes and the percentage of CD62P-positive platelets in patients with IgA nephropathy (CD44: 33.89%±13.29%; CD62P: 8.58%±5.17%) were significantly higher than those in healthy people (CD44: 19.73%±6.82%, P 0.01; CD62P: 3.26%±1.76%, P 0.01). The number of lymphocytes expressing CD44 and the number of platelets expressing CD62P in class Ⅳ and Ⅴ of IgA nephropathy were also more than in those expressing class Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Correlation analysis showed a linear correlation between CD44 and CD62P ( r =0.39, P 0.05). Conclusion The levels of expressions of CD44 and CD62P in patients with IgA nephropathy are enhanced. Our results suggest that both CD44 and CD62P play an important role in pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy, and potentially participate in the progress of IgA nephropathy. [