CXCL11 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and pulmonary function decline in systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies have focused on the antifibrotic potential of the Th1 cytokine IFN-γ-1b through suppression of Th2 fibrogenic functions. It has been reported that IFN-γ induces the production of CXCL11 in the lung and plasma of patients with lung-fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the levels of CXCL11 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of SSc patients might be a predictor of clinically significant fibrotic lung involvement.


METHODS
In a retrospective longitudinal study we analysed BALF samples from 16 SSc patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and 16 matched control patient without ILD. Patients were eligible if they did not have evidence of ILD at the time of BAL as shown by HRCT. A standard morphological and immunological analysis of BALF cellular components was performed. CXCL11 was measured in BALF by specific ELISA assay.


RESULTS
BALF CXCL11 concentrations were significantly elevated in the samples taken from patients who did not developed ILD as compared to those who developed ILD (p<0.001). Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that BALF CXCL11 levels predicted clinically significant ILD (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of elevated BALF concentrations of CXCL11 in SSc patients who do not developed lung fibrosis suggest that determination of CXCL11 in BALF could serve as a prognostic factor for pulmonary function decline.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. paolo.sfriso@unipd.it
Paolo
P
Sfriso
Franco
F
Cozzi
Francesca
F
Oliviero
Francesco
F
Caso
Silvia
S
Cardarelli
Monica
M
Facco
Claudio
C
Fittà
Angela
A
Del Rosso
Marco
M
Matucci-Cerinic
Leonardo
L
Punzi
Carlo
C
Agostini
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054371:Chemokine CXCL11 / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015415:Biomarkers; C515202:CXCL11 protein, human; D054371:Chemokine CXCL11