title: Elevated serum levels of Interleukin-37 are associated with inflammatory cytokines and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is closely associated with several inflammatory diseases. However, the role of IL-37 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between serum levels of IL-37 and disease activity, inflammatory cytokines, and bone loss in patients with RA. Serum cytokines levels were examined by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Radiographic bone erosion was assessed using the van der Heijde-modified Sharp score and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using DXA. Serum IL-37 levels in RA patients were significantly higher than those in HCs (p < 0.001), and were significantly positively correlated with clinical parameters of disease activity and serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23. In addition, serum IL-37 levels were significantly higher in patients with stage IV of radiographic bone erosion than those with stage III and stage I-II, and they were significantly higher in those with osteopenia and osteoporosis than in those with normal BMD. Our results suggest that serum IL-37 levels were increased in patients with RA and were positively associated with disease activity, IL-17/IL-23 and bone loss in RA, suggesting that IL-37 may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Libin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Jingang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopeadic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
authors.forename: Tan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: C508840:IL23A protein, human; C508587:IL37 protein, human; D007375:Interleukin-1; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053760:Interleukin-23 Subunit p19
keywords: Interleukin-37; bone loss; inflammatory cytokines; rheumatoid arthritis