Association of interleukin-36α gene expression in Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with organ involvement and disease activity |
The Egyptian Journal of Immunology Volume 28 (2), April, 2021 Pages: 75–84. www.Ejimmunology.org https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.280208 |
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| Aly E. Mohamed1, Heba M. Zaki2, Marwa M. Hosny3,4, Marwa M. Fouad5, Nermeen H. A. Moneim1 |
| 1Department of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology & Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
2Department of Internal Medicine, Nephrology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. 3Department of Medical Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. 4Oncology Diagnostic Unit lab, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. 5Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. |
Corresponding author: Marwa M. Hosny, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ring Road, K4.5, Ismailia, Egypt. P.O: 41522. E-mail: marwahosny@med.suez.edu.eg |
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex systemic autoimmune disease characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations with varying severity. The dysregulation of cytokines contributes strongly to disease pathogenesis. Recently, it has been shown that the imbalanced antagonist/agonist profile of interleukin (IL)-36 cytokines, might play a role in autoimmune disorders. Our aim is to investigate mRNA expression of Interleukin-36α (IL-36α) in the peripheral blood of Egyptian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and its association with disease activity and organs involvement. We assessed the relative expression of IL-36α mRNA by real time polymerase chain reaction and the comparative CT method on the peripheral blood of 49 SLE patients, and 40 healthy controls. Patients were subjected to thorough history and clinical examination, in addition to routine hematological, biochemical, and serological studies. Disease activity was evaluated using the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). The relative expression of IL-36α mRNA was significantly higher in SLE patients compared to healthy controls (4.3±2.9 vs 1, respectively, P<0.0001). Fold change of IL-36α expression was significantly increased in patients with moderate and high disease activity (SLEDAI>5) than patients with mild disease activity (SLEDAI≤5) (4.3±1.2 vs 2.7±2.0, respectively, P=0.006) and positively correlated with SLEDAI (r=0.505, P=0.001). Regarding major organ involvement, the mean±SD expression of IL-36α in patients with arthritis and mucocutaneous involvement was significantly higher compared to those without organ involvement (4.2±1.5 vs 2.8±1.8, P=0.039 and 4.1±1.4 vs 2.8±2.1, P=0.041, respectively). In conclusion, the IL-36α is significantly more expressed in SLE patients compared to healthy controls and correlated with SLE disease activity and arthritis. IL-36α expression could be a useful biomarker for SLE disease activity in Egyptian patients with SLE.
Keywords: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Biomarker; IL-36α expression; RT-PCR; SLEDAI
Date received: 23 January 2021; accepted: 22 April 2021
PMID: 34185456
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