Role of leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1 in the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease and coronary artery aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the relationship between leukocyte-associated Ig-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) and the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease (KD) and coronary artery aneurysms(CAA).

METHODS

The study cohort comprises children who were diagnosed with KD and were categorized into two groups: KD patients with CAA (KD-CAA) and KD without CAA (KD-NCAA), with healthy children serving as control group (HC). LAIR-1 on leukocytes was examined via flow cytometry, while serum LAIR-1 (sLAIR-1) was quantified using ELISA. IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IFN-α, IFN-γ and TNF-α were examined by Immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTS

sLAIR-1 levels were elevated in the KD and KD-CAA groups compared with those in the HC and KD-NCAA groups (P < 0.05). sLAIR-1 exhibited an area under the curve value of 0.858 for predicting KD (P < 0.001) and 0.628 for predicting CAA (P = 0.055, borderline significance). LAIR-1 was increased on the neutrophils in KD group, whereas it was lower in KD-CAA than that in KD-NCAA, and decreased in KD after IVIG treatment. In contrast, LAIR-1 was reduced on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte in KD group, and increased in KD after IVIG treatment (all P < 0.05). LAIR-1 on neutrophils showed a positive correlation with IL-5, while on CD4+ T cells, it was negatively correlated with IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-8. On CD8+ T cells, LAIR-1 was negatively correlated with IL-2 and IFN-γ.

CONCLUSION

sLAIR-1 may serve as a potential biomarker for KD and CAAs, while LAIR-1 might be implicated in KD pathogenesis and CAA.