title: CAMP response element modulator a expression in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have high levels of cAMP response element modulator (CREM)-alpha which bind to the interleukin (IL-2) promoter and limit IL-2 production. In this case-controlled study, we show that CREM-alpha mRNA levels were higher in T cells from patients with SLE than controls while CREB mRNA levels did not differ between the two groups. CREM-alpha mRNA levels did not correlate with clinical characteristics, disease activity or treatment. Nevertheless, there was a trend for patients on high doses of corticosteroids to have low levels of CREM-alpha mRNA. The discovery of specific non-toxic medications that block the expression of CREM-alpha may prove useful in reversing the aberrant T cell function in SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Injury, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Kyttaris
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Juang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weinstein
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Tsokos
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator / Q000235:genetics*; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051786:Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator; D000242:Cyclic AMP