[Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and lupus nephritis].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in lupus nephritis (LN).


METHODS
Sera MCP-1 levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 112 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 11 non-SLE patients with renal impairment, and 40 healthy volunteers. MCP-1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was also investigated with reverse trancription-polymerase chain reaction semi-quantitative method.


RESULTS
The expression of MCP-1 was significantly higher in active LN groups than in all other groups (P < 0.001), and there was a close correlation between MCP-1 expression and the overall SLE disease activity index score (r=0.6245, P < 0.001) and the SLE disease activity index renal score (r=0.6808, P < 0.001). Low expression of MCP-1 was observed in diseased controls and healthy controls. The sera levels of MCP-1 were significantly higher in patients with active diseases than in patients with inactive SLE and controls, but no significant difference were found between the active LN groups and non-renal involvement group (P >0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of PBMCs MCP-1 mRNA is upregulated in active SLE. Meanwhile, its expression levels are correlated with the activity of LN.
Liu
Zhong-Juan
ZJ
Department of Laboratory Medicine, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China. lzhj-0322@hotmail.com
Lin
Jia-You
JY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D012333:RNA, Messenger