title: Increased production of interleukin-6 and autoantibodies in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: The occurrence of autoantibodies including antinuclear antibody, anti-nDNA, anti-Sm, anti-RNP, anti-SSA, anti-SSB, anticardiolipin (aCL) antibody, M-Proteins, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and circulating immune complex (CIC) were studied in 18 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and 20 patients with secondary SS. Another 15 healthy individuals were served as a control group. The differences between primary and secondary SS in these autoantibodies, IL-6 and M-protein were also compared. The result showed a high incidence of autoantibodies and CIC in patients with SS. Higher frequencies of anti-nDNA and anti-Sm antibodies were noted in patients with secondary SS. There were also elevated levels of IL-6, much higher in primary than in secondary SS. In addition, higher frequencies of M-protein were detected in patients with primary SS. In conclusion, through immune dysregulations, higher levels of IL-6 were found in patients with SS. Autoantibodies produced in these patients might be derived from IL-6 stimulated B cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Lo-Tong Poh Ai Hospital, I Lan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015850:Interleukin-6