Objective.To determine serum concentrations of soluble CXCL16 and its clinical associations in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).Methods.Serum CXCL16 levels from 89 patients with SSc were examined by ELISA. In a retrospective longitudinal study, 68 sera from 28 patients with SSc were analyzed (followup 1.3 to 7.3 yrs).Results.Serum CXCL16 levels were elevated in patients with SSc compared with healthy controls (n = 42). Patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (n = 52) had higher levels of CXCL16 than those with limited cutaneous SSc (n = 37). Serum CXCL16 levels correlated positively with the extent of skin sclerosis. In the longitudinal study, CXCL16 levels generally decreased on a parallel with the improvement in skin sclerosis.Conclusion.CXCL16 levels were increased in patients with SSc, and correlated with the extent of skin sclerosis, suggesting that CXCL16 may have a role in the development of skin fibrosis in SSc. Blockade of CXCL16 interaction might be a potential therapeutic target in patients with SSc.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ: innate protection from excessive fibrogenesis and potential therapeutic target in systemic sclerosis