Correspondence to Author:  Sławomir Tubek, 

Clinical Department of Haematology, Haematological Oncology and Internal Medicine, Regional Hospital in Opole, Faculty of Medicine, University of Opole, Opole, Poland.

DOI: 10.52338/immunology.2024.4206

Abstract:

The variability in the expression of the gene for the zinc membrane transporter ZnT8 in leukocytes - on the one hand, and the presence of antibodies against this transporter, at a level of 5-6% in the adult population over 30 years of age, on the other - raises the question of the biological and clinical significance of the potential coincidence of these phenomena.
Material and method: It was decided to retrospectively evaluate the relationship between the presence of the serum anti-ZnT8 antibodies (ZnT8Ab) and the parameters of complete blood counts. Within the period 06/2023 - 04/2024 - 216 ZnT8Ab determinations were performed, mainly in patients in the diabetology department (in patients with type 2 diabetes), of which 15 patients were higher or equal to 10 RU/ml - which represented 7% of the study group of patients.
Results: On the basis of the available data, it can be concluded that the high ZnT8Ab values could be linked to an increased susceptibility to haemolysis, haemolytic anaemia and changes in other morphotic parameters of the peripheral blood - a tendency to lower lymphocyte and platelet levels. That is, the presence of ZnT8Ab could be one of the factors leading to thrombocytopenia and impaired cellular immunity. The retrospective analysis of the data presented here - suggests that high ZnT8Ab values may result in a greater tendency for changes in blood morphotic elements - including erythrocyte, platelet and leukocyte counts (including neutrocytes and lymphocytes) - in the directions observed in the aforementioned analyses. The decrease in platelet count was accompanied by an increase in platelet anisocytosis, while the decrease in leukocytes involved both neutrocytes and lymphocytes. Generally, all quantitative blood count parameters studied showed declining trends.
Conclusions: Generally, in the current study, all quantitative blood morphotic parameters tested tended to decrease with the increasing levels of ZnT8Ab.

Citation:

Sławomir Tubek. Impact of Antibodies Against the Zinc Transporter 8 (ZnT8) on the Morphotic Elements of Peripheral Blood - Preliminary Report. Journal of Immunology 2024.