Correlation between serum concentrations of soluble Fas (CD95/Apo-1) and IL-18 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Recent researches suggest that imbalance in apoptotic process may lead to susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-18, has important role in autoimmune process in lupus. There are cumulative data on the pro-apoptotic role of IL-18, in the Fas-mediated apoptosis. Soluble Fas (Apo/1-CD95) is a marker of apoptosis that appears to increase in serum of SLE patients. Previous studies demonstrated increasing serum concentrations of soluble Fas (sFas) and IL-18 in SLE. To assess the correlation between serum concentrations of sFas and IL-18 in SLE patients, 114 SLE patients were selected randomly at the different stages of disease activity according to SLEDAI2K. IL-18 and sFas serum concentrations were compared in patients and fifty randomly selected healthy volunteers. The correlations of IL-18 and sFas serum concentrations with SLEDAI2K and with each other were evaluated in patients. There were a significant difference between serum concentrations of sFas and IL-18 in the case and control groups (P = 0.001). There was a significant correlation between serum concentrations of sFAS and IL-18 in SLE patients (P < 0.0001, r = 0.411). The elevations of IL-18 and sFas(Apo/1-CD95) serum concentrations in SLE patients are significantly correlated.
Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Ghaem Hospital, Faculty of  Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Maryam
M
Sahebari
Zahra
Z
Rezaieyazdi
Mohammadreza J
MJ
Nakhjavani
Mohammadreza
M
Hatef
Mahmoud
M
Mahmoudi
Saaid
S
Akhlaghi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000097:blood*
D020382:Interleukin-18; D019014:fas Receptor