Deconvolution of Blood Microarray Data Identifies Cellular Activation Patterns in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Figure 6
FACS counting validates key findings from expression deconvolution.
Quantifying levels of resting or activated lymphocytes from a separate validation cohort by purifying and staining with markers of activation validates the two most significant findings from microarray deconvolution of healthy and SLE patients' blood. (a) NK cells purified and stained for the classical NK activation marker CD62 show significant activation in two patients and mild trend towards activation in a third. (b) CD4+ T helper cells purified and stained for the marker of naïve T cells CD62L show significant downregulation, indicating activation and suggesting a transition to a memory phenotype. (c) CD19+ B cells purified and stained for the marker of activated B cells CD80 show mixed results: no change in one patient, mild upregulation in another, and strong upregulation in the third.