Roles of CD147 on T lymphocytes activation and MMP‐9 secretion in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in many abnormalities described in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) are still unclear. Some of these abnormalities referred to the hyperactivation of T lymphocytes and the enhanced secretion of MMP‐9 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Therefore, in this paper we investigated the potential role of CD147 molecule in these abnormalities. Our results demonstrated that CD147 molecule is overexpressed on CD3+T lymphocytes from SLE patients when compared with CD3+T lymphocytes from healthy donors. Monoclonal anti‐CD147 antibodies, MEM‐M6/1 clone, were able to inhibit protein tyrosine phosphorylation only in CD3 × CD28 costimulated T lymphocytes from SLE patients. However, this monoclonal antibody was unable to inhibit the enhanced activity of MMP‐9 secreted by SLE PBMCs.