title: Cell-free DNA in the plasma of patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the concentration of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) in the plasma of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to examine the correlation of cf-DNA with clinical variables of the disease. The study population consisted of 122 SSc patients and 16 healthy controls. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected by direct assessment. The beta-globin gene was used to determine the total amount of DNA in the plasma by real-time quantitative PCR analysis. cf-DNA was found in all patients (mean concentration 1,420.7 copies/ml) and controls (mean concentration 1,462.5), with no significant difference. In SSc patients, no correlation was found between cf-DNA and the type of organ involvement, but patients with active disease presented significantly higher cf-DNA concentrations than those with inactive disease (p < 0.05). Our data suggest that cf-DNA could provide a useful biomarker for the assessment of disease activity in SSc patients.
authors: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma no. 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy. marta.mosca@int.med.unipi.it
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Mosca
authors: Tiziana
authors: T
authors: Giuliano
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Cuomo
authors: Marica
authors: M
authors: Doveri
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Tani
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Curcio
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Abignano
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: De Feo
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Bazzichi
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Della Rossa
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Valentini
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Bombardieri
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001609:Beta-Globulins / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001609:Beta-Globulins; D015415:Biomarkers; D004247:DNA