title: Low level of serum interleukin 27 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: T helper 17 (TH17) cells are beginning to be implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recent studies have shown that interleukin 27 (IL-27) controls the development of TH17. However, whether IL-27 plays a role in the development of SLE is still unclear. In the present work, we investigated the serum IL-27 level in SLE and its relations to disease activity. Fifty-six patients with SLE and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited. Serum IL-27 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The clinical and laboratory parameters were collected from medical records or by questionnaire. The serum IL-27 level in SLE patients was significantly lower than that in healthy controls (P < 0.001). Compared with SLE patients without nephritis, patients with nephritis had a significantly decreased serum IL-27 level (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between less active and more active SLE (P > 0.05). Correlation analysis between serum IL-27 levels and SLE disease activity index showed no association (P > 0.05). In summary, a decrease in serum IL-27 level in patients with SLE suggested that this cytokine might be implicated in the pathomechanism of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, PR China.
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Gui-Mei
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qing-Qing
authors.initials: QQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jin-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Dong-Qing
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009393:Nephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; C464565:MYDGF protein, human