title: Correlation of circulating glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein ligand levels with disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the correlation of glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor- (TNFR-) related protein ligand (GITRL) with disease activity and organ involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Serum GITRL levels were measured in 58 patients with SLE and 30 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Patients were assessed for clinical and laboratory variables. Correlations of serum GITRL levels with SLEDAI, laboratory values, and clinical manifestations were assessed. Serum GITRL levels were determined by ELISA. Serum GITRL levels were markedly increased in patients with SLE compared with healthy controls (mean 401.3 ng/mL and 36.59 ng/mL, resp.; P < 0.0001). SLE patients with active disease showed higher serum GITRL levels compared to those with inactive disease (mean 403.3 ng/mL and 136.3 ng/mL, resp; P = 0.0043) as well as normal controls (36.59 ng/mL; P < 0.0001). Serum GITRL levels were positively correlated with SLEDAI, titers of anti-dsDNA antibody, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and IgM and negatively correlated with complement3 (C3). Serum GITRL levels were higher in SLE patients with renal involvement and vasculitis compared with patients without the above-mentioned manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Lingxiao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenfeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Miaojia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008024:Ligands; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D053450:Glucocorticoid-Induced TNFR-Related Protein; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008024:Ligands; C478967:TNFSF18 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors