title: Serum TWEAK as a biomarker for disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify serum and urine biomarkers that correlate with disease activity in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum and urine levels of interferon γ-induced protein-10 (IP-10), TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) of 70 patients with SLE and 61 healthy controls were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum and urine levels of TWEAK, IP-10, and MCP-1 in both high and low SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) groups of SLE patients were markedly higher compared with those of healthy controls. Moreover, the serum TWEAK level was positively correlated with the serum IP and serum MCP-1 levels (p < 0.001 for both). The serum TWEAK levels, SLEDAI scores, and urine protein/creatinine levels were significantly different between the SLE group with non-renal involvement and with renal involvement (p = 0.034, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). The serum TWEAK level was a crucial determinant for a high SLEDAI score and renal involvement (p = 0.044 and p = 0.046, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum TWEAK might be a serologic biomarker candidate that reflects disease activity and renal involvement in patients with SLE.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, 33, Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu, 705-718, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Center, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, 33, Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu, 705-718, Republic of Korea. kimsk714@cu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seong-Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10 / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C111835:CCL2 protein, human; C114753:CXCL10 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors
keywords: Biomarker; IP-10; Kidney; MCP-1; Systemic lupus erythematosus; TWEAK