title: Serum neurotrophin profile in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurotrophins (NTs) are able to activate lymphocytes and fibroblasts; they can modulate angiogenesis and sympathic vascular function. Thus, they can be implicated in the three pathogenic processes of systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aims of this study are to determine blood levels of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in SSc and to correlate them with clinical and biological data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were obtained from 55 SSc patients and 32 control subjects to measure NTs levels by ELISA and to determine their relationships with SSc profiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum NGF levels were higher in SSc patients (288.26 ± 170.34 pg/mL) than in control subjects (170.34 ± 50.8 pg/mL, p<0.001) and correlated with gammaglobulins levels and the presence of both anti-cardiolipin and anti-Scl-70 antibodies (p<0.05). In contrast, BDNF levels were lower in SSc patients than in controls (1121.9 ± 158.1 vs 1372.9 ± 190.9 pg/mL, p<0.0001), especially in pulmonary arterial hypertension and diffuse SSc as compared to limited forms (all p<0.05). NT-3 levels were similar in SSc and in the control group (2657.2 ± 2296 vs 2959.3 ± 2555 pg/mL, NS). BDNF levels correlated negatively with increased NGF levels in the SSc group (and not in controls).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low BDNF serum levels were not previously documented in SSc, particularly in the diffuse SSc subset and in patients with pulmonary hypertension or anti-Scl-70 antibodies. The negative correlation between NGF and BDNF levels observed in SSc and not in healthy controls could be implicated in sympathic vascular dysfunction in SSc.
authors.affiliation: EA3842 Homéostasie Cellulaire et Pathologies, IFR 145, Limoges University Hospital, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lise
authors.forename: Agnès
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sparsa
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marie
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lalloué
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.forename: Clothilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Holy
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bezanahary
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gondran
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Loustaud-Ratti
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bonnetblanc
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Marie-Odile
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Jauberteau
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Fauchais
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D001323:Autoantibodies; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C048100:Scl 70 antigen, human; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I