ARTICLE: Genetic and epigenetic dysregulation of CR1 is associated with catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome
AUTHORS: Nikhil Ranjan, Michael A Cole, Gloria F Gerber, Mark A Crowther, Evan M Braunstein, Daniel Flores-Guerrero, Kathy Haddaway, Alexis Reed, Michael B Streiff, Keith R McCrae, Michelle Petri, Shruti Chaturvedi, Robert A Brodsky
JOURNAL: Ann Rheum Dis. 2025 Aug 20:S0003-4967(25)04249-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ard.2025.07.016. Online ahead of print.
Abstract
Objectives: Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a complement-driven thrombotic disorder, characterised by widespread thrombosis and multiorgan failure. We identified rare germline variants including complement receptor 1 (CR1) in 50% of patients with CAPS. Here, we define CR1 dysregulation mechanisms (genetic/epigenetic) underlying complement-mediated thrombosis in CAPS and support C5 inhibition as a potential therapy.
Methods: We quantified CR1 expression by flow cytometry across haematopoietic cell types. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of TF-1 (erythroleukaemia) cells was performed to generate CR1 'knock-out' and 'knock-in' lines with patient-specific CR1 variants. Multiomics analysis was performed to investigate the role of methylation in patients with reduced CR1 expression. Functional impact of low CR1 was assessed by complement-mediated cell killing using modified Ham assay, cell-bound complement degradation products through flow cytometry, and circulatory immune complexes in serum samples through ELISA.
Results: CR1 expression in erythrocytes was markedly reduced on CAPS erythrocytes (n = 9, 21.80%) compared to healthy controls (HCs; n = 35, 84.04%), with promoter hypermethylation emerging as a plausible epigenetic mechanism for CR1 downregulation. Novel germline variant (CR1-V2125L; rs202148801) mitigated CR1 expression and increased complement-mediated cell death of knock-in cell lines. Erythrocytes from the patient with the CR1-V2125L variant had low CR1 expression. Levels of circulating immune complexes, which are bound and cleared by CR1 on erythrocytes, were higher in acute CAPS (n = 3, 25.55 µg Eq/mL) than HCs (n = 3, 7.445 µg Eq/mL). Five patients were treated with C5 inhibition which mitigated thrombosis.
Conclusions: Genetic or epigenetic-mediated CR1 deficiency is a potential hallmark of CAPS and predicts response to C5 inhibition.
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