title: Novel biomarkers in autoimmune diseases: prolactin, ferritin, vitamin D, and TPA levels in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: The development of autoimmune diseases may be influenced by hormonal, immunomodulatory, and metabolic pathways. Prolactin (PRL), ferritin, vitamin D, and the tumor marker tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) were measured in autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), multiple sclerosis (MS), autoimmune thyroid diseases, and antiphospholipid syndrome. Hyperprolactinemia (HPRL) was detected in 24% of PM patients, in 21% of SLE patients, in 6.7% of MS patients, 6% of RA patients, and in 3% of SSc patients. Hyperferritinemia was detected in 23% of SLE patients, 15% of DM patients, 8% of MS patients, and 4% of RA patients. The patients had relatively low levels of 25 OH Vitamin D: the average results (mean +/- SD) were between 9.3 +/- 4.4 to 13.7 +/- 7.1 ng/mL in the different diseases, while the 25 OH Vitamin D concentrations less than 20 ng/mL are regarded as deficient. TPA levels were in the same range of the controls, elevated only in SLE. HPRL, hyperferritinemia, hypovitaminosis D, and TPA levels did not correlate with SLE activity elevated levels of rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP antibodies in RA. HPRL, hyperferritinemia, and hypovitaminosis D have different immunological implications in the pathogenesis of the autoimmune diseases. Preventive treatment with vitamin D or therapy for HPRL with dopamine agonists, may be considered in certain cases. Hyperferritinemia may be used as an acute-phase reactant marker in autoimmune diseases mainly SLE. TPA may be used to indicate the tendency for malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel. orbach@wolfson.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Hedi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orbach
authors.forename: Gisele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zandman-Goddard
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amital
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szekanecz
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szucs
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Danko
authors.forename: Endre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Tunde
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Csepany
authors.forename: Jozelio F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006966:Hyperprolactinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D019396:Tissue Polypeptide Antigen / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*