Naslov
Circulating B-cell activating factor levels' dependence on treatment in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Autori
Cepika, Alma-Martina ; Soldo-Jureša, Dragica ; Morović-Vergles, Jadranka ; Malenica, Branko ; Gagro, Alenka

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Book of Abstracts, 2008 Annual Meeting of Croatian Immunological Society / Rabatić S, Grčević D, Polić B, Vidović A - Zagreb, 2008

Skup
2008 Annual Meeting of Croatian Immunological Society

Mjesto i datum
Šibenik, Hrvatska, 09.10.2008. - 12.10.2008

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Domaća recenzija

Ključne riječi
BAFF; BLyS; systemic lupus erythematosus; B cells; autoimmunity; glucocorticoids; chloroquine

Sažetak
Success of B cell-targeted treatments in autoimmune diseases has brought into focus B cell hyperactivity as a dominant disorder. B-cell activating factor (BAFF) is a homeostatic cytokine essential for development, maturation and survival of peripheral B cell pool. As it seems that BAFF can promote B cell survival in the absence of BCR activation, its upregulation could aid the breach of tolerance in B cell-dependent autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Indeed, several reports link increased BAFF mRNA and protein levels in a subgroup of SLE patients with disease activity and autoantibody levels. Moreover, BAFF transgenic mice develop anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies, nephritis and salivary gland destruction even in absence of T-cell help. We measured serum BAFF protein levels by ELISA in eleven newly-discovered SLE patients in four time-points: before treatment (Tx), after three weeks of glucocorticoid Tx, after three months when steroids were tapered and chloroquine introduced, and after two years, where Tx was modified according to individual’ s status. We found that patients on glucocorticoids only have significantly lower BAFF levels than healthy controls, but the difference is lost when steroid dose was lowered. Between-group analysis showed that patients on steroids ± chloroquine had lower BAFF levels than untreated patients and at two-year follow-ups. In vitro experiments on isolated healthy human peripheral blood leukocytes demonstrated that glucocorticoids up-regulate BAFF-receptor expression on B cells, whereas chloroquine has no effect. Thus, glucocorticoid treatment and dose should be taken into account when interpreting BAFF levels in patients with SLE.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija, Temeljne medicinske znanosti, Kliničke medicinske znanosti

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