title: Increased serum concentrations of secretory leukoprotease inhibitor in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI), a 12 kDa serine antiprotease, is produced by serous cells including salivary and lacrimal glands.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess whether serum levels of SLPI in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) are elevated and correlated with conventional and laboratory indices of disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  SLPI levels were determined by ELISA of serum from 21 primary SS, and 26 age-matched normal controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased SLPI concentrations were found in primary SS patients (p < 0.01). Serum SLPI levels were positively correlated with the duration of the disease (r = 0.517, p < 0.025), but not with age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP, immunoglobulins, number of extraglandular manifestations and saliva production. SLPI levels were also positively correlated with serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin (r = 0.607, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Determination of serum SLPI may provide a new simple noninvasive technique for evaluation of primary SS.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan. mmaruyam-tym@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakazaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins; C506814:SLPI protein, human; D053481:Secretory Leukocyte Peptidase Inhibitor; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors