title: Activation of type I interferon system in systemic lupus erythematosus correlates with disease activity but not with antiretroviral antibodies.
abstract: The objective was to investigate the relation between serum levels of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), the activity of an endogenous IFN-alpha inducing factor (SLE-IIF), clinical and immunological disease activity as well as serum levels of antiretroviral antibodies in SLE. Serum levels of IFN-alpha were measured in serial sera from 30 patients sampled at different stages of disease activity (SLEDAI score). The SLE-IIF activity was measured by its ability to induce IFN-alpha production in cultures of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Both serum IFN-alpha and SLE-IIF increased markedly at flare in serially followed patients. The SLEDAI score, levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies and IL-10 correlated positively, and complement components Clq, C3 and leukocytes correlated inversely with serum concentrations of IFN-alpha. The extent of multiple organ involvement correlated with serum IFN-alpha. No relation between concentrations of retroviral peptide binding antibodies and IFN-alpha or SLE-IIF activity was found. The close relationship between disease activity in SLE patients and IFN-alpha serum levels suggests that activation of the type 1 IFN system might be of importance in the disease process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, S-221 85 Lund, Sweden. Anders.Bengtsson@reum.lu.se
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sturfelt
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Truedsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blomberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alm
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vallin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rönnblom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007369:Interferon Inducers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10