title: C/EBPβ mRNA expression is upregulated and positively correlated with the expression ofTNIP1/TNFAIP3in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBP β) has important roles in numerous signaling pathways. The expression of the majority of regulators and target gene products of C/EBP β, including tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) and TNFAIP3-interacting protein 1 (TNIP1), are upregulated in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the present study was to investigate whetherC/EBPβ expression is associated with SLE pathogenesis and correlates withTNIP1andTNFAIP3expression. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to assess the expression ofC/EBPβ,TNIP1, andTNFAIP3mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 20 patients with SLE and 20 healthy controls. Spearman's rank test was used to determine the correlation betweenC/EBPβ expression and SLE disease activity, and that betweenC/EBPβ expression andTNIP1/TNFAIP3expression in PBMCs from patients with SLE.C/EBPβ mRNA expression was markedly increased in patients with SLE compared with healthy controls. The expression ofC/EBPβ was positively correlated with the SLE disease activity index and negatively correlated with the serum level of complement components C3 and C4. In addition,C/EBPβ mRNA expression was increased in PBMCs from SLE patients that were positive for antinuclear, anti-Smith and anti-nRNP antibodies, compared with the antibody negative SLE patients. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels ofC/EBPβ in patients with SLE was positively correlated withTNIP1andTNFAIP3expression. The results of the current study suggest that the increased expression ofC/EBPβ in PBMCs and the interaction betweenC/EBPβ andTNIP1/TNFAIP3may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β; systemic lupus erythematosus; tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3; tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3-interacting protein 1