RESEARCH - Clinical significance of selected endothelial activation markers in patients with SLE

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J Rheumatol. 2008 May 15. [Epub ahead of print] Links

Clinical Significance of Selected Endothelial Activation Markers in

Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.Kuryliszyn-Moskal A,

Klimiuk PA, Ciolkiewicz M, Sierakowski S.

From the Department of Rheumatology and Internal Diseases, Medical

University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease

in which immunologically mediated vascular endothelial cell activation

is regarded as a potential pathophysiological mechanism of systemic

organ damage. We investigated selected endothelial cell activation

markers in serum of patients with SLE and their relationships with

systemic organ manifestations and disease activity. METHODS: Serum

levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), soluble E-selectin, and thrombomodulin

(sTM) were determined by ELISA in 76 SLE patients and in 34 healthy

controls. RESULTS: Higher serum concentrations of ET-1, sE-selectin (p

< 0.05), and sTM (p < 0.001) were observed in SLE patients in

comparison with controls. Significant differences of ET-1, (p < 0.01),

sTM (p < 0.001), and sE-selectin serum concentrations (p < 0.01) were

found between SLE patients with systemic involvement and controls.

Patients with organ manifestations (n = 34) showed significantly

higher serum levels of ET-1 than patients without systemic involvement

(n = 42) (p < 0.05). Comparison between patients with active and

inactive SLE according to SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score

showed significantly higher concentration of ET-1 in the sera of

patients with active SLE compared with inactive patients and the

controls (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the elevated serum

concentrations of ET-1, sTM, and sE-selectin reflect persisting

endothelial cell activation in SLE, and point to an important role of

ET-1 in the pathogenesis of internal organ involvement. Moreover,

elevated ET-1 concentrations are related to disease activity,

suggesting a key role of endothelial cell activation in systemic

manifestations in SLE patients.

PMID: 18484695

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18484695

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