RESEARCH - Raised serum APRIL levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2005 Jul;64(7):1065-7. Epub 2004 Dec 2.

Raised serum APRIL levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Koyama T, Tsukamoto H, Miyagi Y, Himeji D, Otsuka J, Miyagawa H, Harada M,

Horiuchi T.

Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of

Medical Sciences, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether serum levels of a proliferation-inducing

ligand (APRIL) are raised in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

(SLE) and correlate with autoantibody titres or disease activity, or both.

METHODS: Serum samples from 48 patients with SLE, 41 normal healthy

subjects, and 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were assayed for

APRIL by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Medical charts were

retrospectively reviewed for autoantibody titres and immunoglobulin levels.

Disease activity was assessed using the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group

(BILAG) index. RESULTS: The APRIL levels in the serum samples from patients

with SLE were significantly higher than in those from healthy controls and

those from patients with RA. Serum APRIL levels did not correlate with serum

IgG and IgM levels, but had a tendency to correlate with anti-double

stranded DNA antibody titres. Moreover, serum APRIL levels correlated

significantly with musculoskeletal manifestations among patients with SLE

when assessed by the BILAG index.

CONCLUSION: APRIL may be an important factor in raised autoantibody titres

and musculoskeletal disease in patients with SLE. Patients with raised serum

APRIL levels may be ideal candidates for therapeutic targeting of APRIL.

PMID: 15576416

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