title: Elevated serum levels of TNF soluble receptors in patients with positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies.
abstract: ANCA are found in various systemic vasculitis and are supposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease, in co-operation with other factors such as cytokines. A total of 36 ANCA-positive and 10 ANCA-negative serum samples were analysed for the presence of TNF soluble receptors (TNF-sR), which are shed from the surface of activated cells and may act as TNF inhibitors. Of the ANCA-positive samples, 67% had elevated TNF-sR75 and 72% had elevated TNF-sR55 compared to ANCA-negative specimens (mean [S.E.] 18.7 [17.3] vs 3.6 [1.5] and 10.5 [9.7] vs 1.9 [0.7] ng/ml, P < 0.01). Elevation of TNF-sR in patients with ANCA suggests that cytokines and their inhibitors are involved in the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roux-Lombard
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dayer
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha