title: Interleukin-37 is increased in ankylosing spondylitis patients and associated with disease activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interleukin-37 (IL-37) has been known to play an immunosuppressive role in various inflammatory disorders, but whether it participates in the regulation of pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has not been investigated. Here, we examined the serum levels of IL-37 and its clinical association in AS, and explored the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-37 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from AS patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mRNA levels of IL-37, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 in PBMCs and their serum concentrations from 46 AS patients were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), respectively. The correlations between serum IL-37 levels with disease activity, laboratory values and pro-inflammatory cytokines in AS were analyzed by Spearman correlation test. PBMCs from 46 AS patients were stimulated with recombinant IL-37 protein, expressions of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17 and IL-23 were determined by RT-PCR and ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to healthy controls (HC), AS patients and active AS patients showed higher levels of IL-37 in PBMCs and serum respectively. Strikingly, serum IL-37 levels were higher in AS patients with osteoporosis than those without. Serum levels of IL-37 were correlated with laboratory values as well as TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17, but not IL-23 in patients with AS. The productions of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23 in PBMCs from AS patients were obviously attenuated after recombinant IL-37 stimulation, but not in the HC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher levels of IL-37 were found in AS patients, which were correlated with disease activity and AS related pro-inflammatory cytokines. More importantly, IL-37 inhibits the expressions of the pro-inflammatory cytokines from PBMCs in AS patients, indicating the potential anti-inflammatory role of IL-37 in AS.
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. 279204573@qq.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. 279204573@qq.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. 279204573@qq.com.
authors: Bingni
authors: B
authors: Chen
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. 846214149@qq.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. 846214149@qq.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. 846214149@qq.com.
authors: Kunzhao
authors: K
authors: Huang
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. liangyeszu@163.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. liangyeszu@163.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. liangyeszu@163.com.
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Ye
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. 1283434844@qq.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. 1283434844@qq.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. 1283434844@qq.com.
authors: Yanqun
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. jwzhangim@gmail.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. jwzhangim@gmail.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. jwzhangim@gmail.com.
authors: Jiawei
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. js_zhangsz@163.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. js_zhangsz@163.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. js_zhangsz@163.com.
authors: Jinshun
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of pathology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. xinminfan@126.com.
authors: Xinmin
authors: X
authors: Fan
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. xkliuren@gmail.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. xkliuren@gmail.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. xkliuren@gmail.com.
authors: Xiaokai
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. liliszu@126.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. liliszu@126.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. liliszu@126.com.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. atjxsun@sina.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. atjxsun@sina.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. atjxsun@sina.com.
authors: Jinxia
authors: J
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, Guangdong, China. dujing83@hotmail.com.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Du
authors: Biological therapy institute, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China. zhuang809@126.com.|Department of Pathogen biology and immunology, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, 518060, China. zhuang809@126.com.|Shenzhen City Shenzhen University Immunodiagnostic Technology Platforms, Shenzhen, 518060, China. zhuang809@126.com.
authors: Zhong
authors: Z
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C508587:IL37 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
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