title: The Tie2 receptor antagonist angiopoietin-2 in systemic lupus erythematosus: its correlation with various disease activity parameters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic lupus erythematosus is one of the autoimmune diseases characterized by multisystem involvement associated with autoantibody and immune complex vasculitis along with endothelial cell damage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to study the possible role of Angiopoietin- 2 (Ang-2) as a recently highlighted inflammatory and angiogenic mediator in the pathogenesis of SLE and its correlation with the state of another inflammatory marker, P-Selectin, as well as with various markers of the disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study included 3 main groups: active SLE patients (group I), inactive SLE patients (group II) and healthy normal control subjects (group III). Groups I and II were subjected to disease activity assessment using the SLEDAI scoring system and measurement of plasma Ang-2 and P-Selectin by ELISA in addition to various laboratory investigations to assess disease activity as: Complete blood count, ESR, serum creatinine, C3, C4 and 24-h urinary proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean level of Plasma Ang-2 and P-selectin showed a high significant increase in active group compared to inactive SLE patients and control subjects (p < 0.001).There was a significant positive correlation between Ang-2, P-Selectin, and each of SLEDAI score and 24-h urinary proteins in all SLE patients as well as in the active group, and Ang-2 was a significant independent marker for proteinuria. A significant negative correlation was found between Ang-2, P-Selectin and each of C3, C4. Ang-2 and P-Selectin showed a high sensitivity and specificity in the patients with SLE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that Ang-2 may be a more useful marker than P-Selectin, C3 and C4 in the assessment of disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cairo University ,  Cairo ,  Egypt.
authors.forename: Maysa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Salama
authors.forename: Fatma M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safwat
authors.forename: Hanan E A
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Darweesh
authors.forename: Mohamed El
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Basel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D019007:P-Selectin; D003404:Creatinine; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2