Potential Immune Biomarkers in Diagnosis and Clinical Management for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundThere is still no reliable, specific biomarker for precision diagnosis and clinical monitoring of systemic lupus erythematosus. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of the determination of immunofenotypic profiles (T, B lymphocytes and NK cells) and serum cytokine concentrations (IL-17 and IFN-alpha) as potential biomarkers for this disease.MethodsThe study included 55 patients with SLE and 25 healthy controls. The proportion of T, B, NK cells were assessed in peripheral blood using flow cytometric assays while the serum cytokine concentration (IL-17 and IFNalpha) was determined by ELISA test.ResultsROC curve analysis showed good accuracy to distinguish between patients and healthy individuals for activated T cells (AUC=0.798; p<0.001), Treg (AUC= 0.651; p=0.036), and memory B cells (AUC=0.285; p=0.002). We found statistically significant difference (p=0.036) in the levels of serum IL-17 between patients with SLE (IL-17=49.27 pg/mL) and controls (IL-17= 28.64 pg/mL).ConclusionsSignificant increase in the relative number of Treg lymphocytes, and decrease in memory B cells, as well as decrease level of IL-17, in SLE patients may be implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. These parameters, as biomarkers, could distinguish SLE patients and no-SLE patients. Monitoring subpopulations of immune cells in peripheral blood using flow cytometry provides insight into abnormal T and B cell function in SLE. Progress in understanding the immunity at SLE, results in concrete benefits for the SLE patients, which include new clinical management and therapeutic strategies.

Association between type I interferon pathway activation and clinical outcomes in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a systematic literature review informing EULAR points to consider

“…From a total of 139 assays reported,7–123 most of them used quantitative PCR (qPCR), immunoassays or microarrays. Most of the studies reported markedly increased IFN-I pathway activation in SLE compared with controls, but diagnostic statistics were scarcely reported and study designs did not usually recruit a prediagnosis population (online supplemental table 1).…”

Therapeutic Effects of Tofacitinib on Pristane-Induced Murine Lupus

“…The observed decrease in T reg cell percentage may be a recovery indicator of lupus nephritis, apart from renal pathological changes and the serum concentration of anti-dsDNA antibody. Increased T reg cell percentage may be a response to overwhelming inflammation,[ 18 ] and a decrease with concurrently reduced Foxp3 expression may indicate amelioration after treatment. Furthermore, the decreased concentrations of IL-6 and IFN-γ indicated declined levels of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory factors in vivo .…”

Correlation Between Gene Expression of Interferon Regulatory Factor-5 and Disease Activity Index in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Iraqi Patients

“…SLE can affect both sexes, but the incidence in females especially at the childbearing age is higher than the males with a ratio of 9 women for each man suffering from SLE [6]. SLE is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations and immunological abnormalities, especially the overproduction of autoantibodies, primarily to the nuclear materials of the cell, complement activation, and the deposition of the circulating immune complexes (CIC) in various tissues leads to inflammatory [7][8][9]. Multiple mechanisms may be participated in the pathophysiology of SLE, comprising incomplete clearance of apoptotic and necrotic materials, abnormal exposure to autoantigens, hyperactivity of self-reactive B and T lymphocytes, and increased levels of B-cell stimulatory cytokines [10][11][12].…”