Serum BAFF and APRIL levels in patients with PBC.
B-cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) are known to be involved in the occurrence of autoimmune diseases. We assessed serum levels of these cytokines in PBC patients. Serum BAFF levels were significantly higher in PBC patients than in healthy controls (1253.9+/-741.4 vs. 722.8+/-199.2 pg/ml; p<0.0001) and HCV-infected patients (1253.9+/-741.4 vs. 871.0+/-251.1 pg/ml; p=0.015). Whereas changes in serum APRIL levels were not significant among these groups, there was a significant correlation between BAFF and AST (R=0.278, p=0.003) or total bilirubin (R=0.363, p=0.0006) in PBC patients. Furthermore, serum BAFF levels were elevated in PBC patients with advanced interface hepatitis. Our data indicate that serum levels of BAFF and APRIL are differentially regulated and serum BAFF levels are significantly elevated in PBC patients. These findings suggest that BAFF may serve as a modulator of the clinical and/or serological manifestation in PBC patients.
Clinical Research Center, Nagasaki Medical Center, Kubara 2-1001-1, Omura 856-8562, Japan. migita@nmc.hosp.go.jp
Kiyoshi
K
Migita
Bibigul
B
Ilyassova
Elena F
EF
Kovzel
Alexander
A
Nersesov
Seigo
S
Abiru
Yumi
Y
Maeda
Atsumasa
A
Komori
Masahiro
M
Ito
Koji
K
Yano
Hiroshi
H
Yatsuhashi
Shinji
S
Shimoda
Hiromi
H
Ishibashi
Minoru
M
Nakamura
D000328:Adult; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002469:Cell Separation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000097:blood*
D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor; C435926:TNFRSF13C protein, human; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13