Determination of serum interleukin-13 and nerve growth factor in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and clinical significance

Introduction The nervous system modulates rheumatic diseases in neurogenic inflammation (NI). Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a pivotal role in NI and chronic nociceptive pain. However, the role of NGF in autoimmune inflammatory diseases is not well understood. The aim of this study was to analyse NGF high- (TrkA) and low-affinity (p75) receptors on all major leucocyte subsets of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) as a potential indicator of NI. Methods A total of 13 patients were analysed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and compared to 13 healthy control (HC) subjects. Patients were also stratified for high or low disease activity (CRP, ESR, SLEDAI, ANA, anti-dsDNA and C3/C4). Statistics included the Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U-test. Results When comparing patients and HC, TrkA was not differentially expressed. In contrast, p75 was increased on CD16+ and CD56+ leucocytes in patients. CD11c+ dendritic cells (DC) were in total increased in SLE. DCs were also significantly elevated in active patients. Furthermore, we found an intermediate CD11b+ population strongly expressing TrkA in patients and HC. Conclusion We demonstrate for the first time differential NGF receptor expression in SLE. The increased CD11c+ DCs might indicate additional activation in SLE.

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Concentration-Dependent Effect of Nerve Growth Factor on Cell Fate Determination of Neural Progenitors

Stem Cells and Development ◽

10.1089/scd.2010.0370 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (10) ◽

pp. 1723-1731 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Lei Zhang ◽

Hui Jiang ◽

Zhengqing Hu

Keyword(s):

Nerve Growth Factor ◽

Growth Factor ◽

Cell Fate ◽

Neural Progenitors ◽

Cell Fate Determination ◽

Dependent Effect ◽

Nerve Growth ◽

Fate Determination

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Immunochemical Determination of DNA in Immune Complexes Present in the Circulation of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Journal of Autoimmunity ◽

10.1006/jaut.1998.0231 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 489-493 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Roald Nezlin ◽

Donato Alarcón-Segovia ◽

Yehuda Shoenfeld

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Immune Complexes ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Immunochemical Determination

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Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 Responder Index-50 Enhances the Ability of SLE Responder Index to Identify Responders in Clinical Trials

The Journal of Rheumatology ◽

10.3899/jrheum.110550 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 38 (11) ◽

pp. 2395-2399 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

ZAHI TOUMA ◽

DAFNA D. GLADMAN ◽

DOMINIQUE IBAÑEZ ◽

SHAHRZAD TAGHAVI-ZADEH ◽

MURRAY B. UROWITZ

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Disease Activity ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Activity Index ◽

Disease Activity Index ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Original Definition ◽

Definition Of

Objective.To evaluate the performance of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Responder Index (SRI) when the SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) is substituted with SLEDAI-2K Responder Index-50 (SRI-50), a valid and reliable index of disease activity improvement. Also, to determine whether the SRI-50 will enhance the ability of SRI in detecting responders.Methods.Our study was conducted on patients who attended the Lupus Clinic from September 2009 to September 2010. SLEDAI-2K, SRI-50, the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group measure, and the Physician’s Global Assessment were determined initially and at followup. SRI was determined at the followup visit according to its original definition using the SLEDAI-2K score and by substituting SLEDAI-2K with SRI-50.Results.A total of 117 patients with SLEDAI-2K ≥ 4 at baseline were studied. Patients had 1 followup visit over a 3-month period. Twenty-nine percent of patients met the original definition of SRI and 35% of patients met the definition of SRI when SLEDAI-2K was substituted with SRI-50. The use of SRI-50 allowed determination of significant improvement in 7 additional patients. This improvement could not be discerned with the use of SLEDAI-2K as a component of SRI. At followup visits that showed improvement, SRI-50 scores decreased to a greater extent than SLEDAI-2K scores (p < 0.0001).Conclusion.SRI-50 enhances the ability of SRI to identify patients with clinically important improvement in disease activity. SRI-50 was superior to SLEDAI-2K in detecting partial clinical improvement, ≥ 50%, between visits. These properties of the SRI-50 enable it to be used as an independent outcome measure of improvement or as a component of SRI in clinical trials.

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The Expression and Clinical Significance of Different Forms of Mer Receptor Tyrosine Kinase in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Journal of Immunology Research ◽

10.1155/2014/431896 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Huaqun Zhu ◽

Xiaolin Sun ◽

Lei Zhu ◽

Fanlei Hu ◽

Lianjie Shi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Disease Activity ◽

Clinical Significance ◽

Receptor Tyrosine Kinase ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Real Time Quantitative Pcr ◽

Cd163 Expression

Objective. To investigate the expression and clinical significance of trans-membrane MerTK (mMer) on circulating CD14+ monocytes/macrophages and soluble MerTK (sMer) levels in plasma in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Method. 108 SLE patients and 42 healthy controls were recruited in this study. The expression of mMer on the surfaces of CD14+ monocytes/macrophages was evaluated by flow cytometry (FCM). The sMer levels were measured by ELISA. Real-time quantitative PCR was applied to evaluate the mRNA levels of MerTK and ADAM17.Results. Both mMer expression on CD14+ monocytes/macrophages and sMer levels in plasma significantly increased in SLE patients compared to healthy subjects. The frequency of anti-inflammatory MerTK expressing CD14+CD16+ monocytes decreased in SLE. mMer expression was positively correlated with CD163 expression on CD14+ cells. Both the mMer expression on CD14+ monocytes/macrophages and sMer levels in plasma were positively correlated with SLEDAI. Furthermore, more elevated mMer and sMer levels were found in patients with higher SLEDAI, presence of anti-SSA, anti-Sm autoantibodies, and lupus nephritis.Conclusion. Both mMer and sMer levels significantly increased in SLE and positively correlated with disease activity and severity. The upregulation of MerTK expression may serve as a biomarker of the disease activity and severity of SLE.

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