title: Plasma IL-17A is increased in new-onset SLE patients and associated with disease activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and Th17 cell in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we studied the plasma IL-17A and the expression of Th17 cell transcription factor RORgammat in Chinese new-onset SLE patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty SLE patients aged between 18 and 40 years and 56 age-matched healthy volunteers were involved in the study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure plasma IL-17A level, and rea1-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure RORgammat mRNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that both IL-17A level and RORgammat mRNA in SLE patients were higher than that of controls. Correlation analysis indicated that plasma IL-17A level was positively correlated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, not with RORgammat mRNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that IL-17A might play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE and associated with disease activity. RORgammat-determined Th17 cell might be involved with increased IL-17A in SLE but not exclusively the unique source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Zhongnan Hospital, Medical College of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China. chenxjane@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Xiao Qi
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hao Hua
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jia Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Yu Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3