title: Glucocorticoid downregulates expression of IL-12 family cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate expression of interleukin 12 (IL-12) family cytokines IL-12, IL-23, IL-27 and IL-35 in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and the effect of glucocorticoid (GC) treatment on their expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma concentration of IL-12, IL-23, IL-27, IL-35, IL-6 and anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies in 30 newly diagnosed severe SLE patients and 30 matched healthy subjects was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between the levels of IL-12 family cytokines and the levels of IL-6 or anti-dsDNA antibodies was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher levels of plasma IL-12, IL-23, IL-27, IL-35, IL-6 and anti-dsDNA antibodies were observed in SLE patients compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05), and after prednisone treatment, the serum levels of IL-12 family cytokines decreased significantly. Moreover, serum levels of IL-12, IL-23, IL-27 and IL-35 were correlated with serum levels of IL-6 and anti-dsDNA antibodies in pre-treatment as well as post-treatment SLE patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLE patients have increased plasma levels of IL-12 family cytokines and GCs can downregulate the expression of them in SLE patients. Therefore, members of the IL-12 family may be involved in the pathophysiological process of SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, PR China. qiufeng_sdu@163.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D053759:Interleukin-23; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; C464565:MYDGF protein, human; D018664:Interleukin-12
keywords: IL-12; IL-6; Systemic lupus erythematosus; glucocorticoid