title: Interleukin 1, interleukin 6, interleukin 10, and tumor necrosis factor α in active and quiescent systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies have investigated the cytokine profile of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, their role is still controversial, mostly because SLE has a heterogeneous disease manifestation. We measured 4 of the most important cytokines in patients with SLE after dividing them in uniform groups according to disease activity and organ involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two adult female patients with SLE were divided into 3 groups according to disease activity and organ involvement: Group A (SLE activity index [SLEDAI] score, 7 ± 0.4) included subjects with newly diagnosed, active SLE, investigated before starting therapy. Group B (SLEDAI score, < 6) included patients without renal involvement, treated with prednisone and azathioprine or hydroxychloroquine. Group C (SLEDAI score, < 6) included patients with lupus nephritis, treated with methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide, reaching complete remission. Fourteen healthy females served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interleukin-1 levels were 1.0, 0.8, 0.7, and 0.25 pg/mL in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively. Interleukin-6 levels were 3.2, 3.6, 4.0, and 1.4 pg/mL in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively; Il-10 levels, 3.05, 1.1, 1.5, and 1.65; tumor necrosis factor-α levels, 8.75, 5.8, 5.4, and 3.6. Interleukin 1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly higher in the patients with SLE than in the healthy controls; IL-1 was significantly higher in group A than in group C. Interleukin 10 showed positive correlation with C-reactive protein, whereas it showed negative correlation with C3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from our cohort, one of the largest so far reported, add to the evidence that proinflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6, Interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α are important in SLE pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cigni
authors.forename: Piera Veronica
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Pileri
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faedda
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sini
authors.forename: Andrea Ercole
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Satta
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marras
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Argiolas
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rum
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10