title: Association of serum TNF-α, IL-8 and free light chain with HLA-DR B alleles expression in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary sarcoidosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology characterized histologically by the observation of non-caseating granulomas and several immunological abnormalities. Sarcoidosis is a multi-organ disorder which involves formation of granulomas in many tissues including the lungs (pulmonary) and others such as skin, bone, heart (extra pulmonary). Associations between human leukocyte antigens (HLA), the encoded cell surface receptor (HLA-DR) and sarcoidosis have been reported in several studies. Several HLA-DR alleles have been described as potential risk factors for sarcoidosis in distinct ethnic groups however evidence for a relationship between HLA-DR alleles and pulmonary and extra-pulmonary sarcoidosis (EPS) is still scarce. Although the etiology of the disease remains unclear, infectious and environmental factors have been postulated. Inflammatory cytokines and chemokines may play important roles in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis and serum free light chain (FLC) numbers have been implicated in several immunologic disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate HLA associations with serum cytokines and FLC in Iranian patients with pulmonary (n = 86) and EPS (n = 46).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that among the 16 HLA DRB alleles only *7 and *12 were different in sarcoidosis patients. The levels of TNF-α and IL-8 in pulmonary sarcoidosis patients were higher than in EPS (P < 0.05) whereas the levels of FLC subunits in EPS were higher than in pulmonary sarcoidosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This data may suggests a link between HLA-DRB *12 and sarcoidosis in Iranian population.
authors: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands ; Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research and Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Airways Disease Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors: Esmaeil
authors: E
authors: Mortaz
authors: Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research and Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Hale Abdoli
authors: HA
authors: Sereshki
authors: Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Atefeh
authors: A
authors: Abedini
authors: Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Arda
authors: A
authors: Kiani
authors: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois USA.
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Mirsaeidi
authors: Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research and Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Dina
authors: D
authors: Soroush
authors: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Garssen
authors: Clinical Tuberculosis and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research and Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Aliakbar
authors: A
authors: Velayati
authors: Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: Frank A
authors: FA
authors: Redegeld
authors: Airways Disease Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors: Ian M
authors: IM
authors: Adcock
keywords: HLA-DR; IL-8; Sarcoidosis; TNF-α