title: Relationship between vitamin D, IFN-γ, and E2 levels in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the relationship between vitamin D, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and estradiol (E2) in females of childbearing age with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study included 22 SLE patients, and 21 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), E2, and IFN-γ were measured by radioimmunoassay using the gamma-counter and ELISA. Patients and control subjects were divided into two groups based on their vitamin D levels (25(OH)D3 ≤ 20 ng/mL; 25(OH)D3 > 20 ng/mL). The median values of IFN-γ and E2 were higher in SLE patients compared to the controls, irrespective of vitamin D level (p = 0.001, p = 0.009, p = 0.003, and p = 0.003, respectively). In SLE patients, there was a negative correlation between IFN-γ and 25(OH)D3 (rs = -0.330; p = 0.03) and a positive correlation between IFN-γ and E2 (rs = 0.404; p = 0.007). This study demonstrates an interesting interplay between vitamin D, INF-γ, and E2 in SLE patients with inactive disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, University Hospital of Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kokic
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinovic Kaliterna
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Split, Croatia mislavradic@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radic
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perkovic
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cvek
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Capkun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C573415:IFNG protein, human; D014807:Vitamin D; D004958:Estradiol; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; estradiol; interferon-gamma; vitamin D