title: Serum BLC/CXCL13 concentrations and renal expression of CXCL13/CXCR5 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototype of systemic autoimmune disease in which cytokines such as B lymphocyte chemoattractant (BLC, or CXC motif ligand 13, CXCL13) may play important roles in pathogenesis. We investigated the implications of CXCL13 in SLE and lupus nephritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples from 425 patients with SLE and 106 healthy control individuals were analyzed for the concentration of CXCL13 by ELISA. Tissue expression of CXCL13 and its corresponding receptor CXCR5 were observed in lupus kidney. The CXCR5-bearing B cells in SLE patients were analyzed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of CXCL13 were higher in SLE patients compared to controls. SLE patients with lupus nephritis or positive anti-dsDNA antibodies had significantly higher serum CXCL13 levels. The peripheral venous blood B cells that bear CXCR5 were more abundant in SLE patients as detected by flow cytometry. CXCR5 and CXCL13 were highly expressed in the renal cortex from patients with lupus nephritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that BLC/CXCL13 as well as its corresponding receptor, CXCR5, may play important roles in the pathogenesis of SLE and in lupus nephritis.
authors: Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University, Taiwan.
authors: Hui-Ting
authors: HT
authors: Lee
authors: Yu-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Shiao
authors: Tsai-Hung
authors: TH
authors: Wu
authors: Wei-Sheng
authors: WS
authors: Chen
authors: Yung-Hsiang
authors: YH
authors: Hsu
authors: Shih-Feng
authors: SF
authors: Tsai
authors: Chang-Youh
authors: CY
authors: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000378:metabolism; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; C110663:CXCL13 protein, human; C095085:CXCR5 protein, human; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine