title: Increased serum soluble CD40 levels in patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine serum levels of soluble CD40 (sCD40) and clinical association in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum sCD40 levels were examined by ELISA in 49 patients with SSc, 15 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 26 healthy individuals. sCD40 levels in plasma samples, which were obtained at the same time, were also determined. SSc patients were grouped into 22 patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and 27 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between sCD40 levels of sera and those of plasma. Serum sCD40 levels were significantly elevated in patients with SSc compared to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and controls (p < 0.001). Serum sCD40 levels were higher in patients with lcSSc than in those with dcSSc (p <0.001). There was no correlation between sCD40 and sCD40 ligand levels in patients with SSc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated serum sCD40 levels were associated with lcSSc. These results suggest that the blockade of CD40/CD40 ligand interaction could be a potential therapeutic strategy in SSc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komura
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanaba
authors.forename: Masanari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawasuji
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D045745:Scleroderma, Limited / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019013:CD40 Antigens