title: Expression level of the growth factor progranulin is related with development of systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study is to investigate the expression of progranulin (PGRN) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and the effect of glucocorticoid (GC) treatment on its expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty newly diagnosed severe SLE patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The serum levels of PGRN and the inflammatory factors of SLE were detected by ELISA and the mRNA expression of these proteins were detected by real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum levels of PGRN, IL-6, PR3, TNFR, TNF-α and anti-dsDNA antibody in SLE patients were increased significantly compared with healthy controls (P < 0.05). The relative expression of PGRN mRNA was increased by 4.88-fold in pre-treatment SLE patients compared with controls (P < 0.05). After prednisone treatment, the serum levels of PGRN decreased significantly, and the relative expression of PGRN mRNA was decreased by 1.34-fold compared with the untreated controls (P < 0.01). Moreover, Serum concentration of PGRN was correlated with serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, TNFR and anti-dsDNA antibody in both pre-treatment and post-treatment SLE patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PGRN is up-regulated in the SLE patients and is correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-dsDNA antibody. Glucocorticoids can down-regulate the expression of PGRN in SLE patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, P R China. qiufeng_sdu@163.com
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Huaxiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xingfu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077153:Progranulins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C492314:GRN protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D000077153:Progranulins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011241:Prednisone