An evaluation of indicator of platelet precipitation in 40 patients with advanced systemic lupus erythema was carried out who had not used the anticoagulant for a week prior to the blood test. The results showed that 6 patients had number of thrombocyte was 100-150x109/l and 38 patients had number of thrombocyte was 150x109/l and one patient had a number of thrombocyte was 418x109/l. 53.27% of patients experienced reduced platelet precipitation, 31.82% of patients experienced the severe reduced platelet precipitation, even the platelet precipitation only was 3%.
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Blood Platelets

The changes in the levels of serum interleukin-13 (IL-13) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their clinical significance were investigated. Sandwich ELISA was used to determine the levels of serum IL-13 and NGF in 35 SLE patients and 15 normal controls. The results showed that the levels of serum IL-13 (92.69+/-9.87 pg/ml) and NGF (339.69+/-25.60 pg/ml) in active SLE patients were significantly higher than those in inactive SLE patients (IL-13, 54.22+/-9.31 pg/ml; NGF, 300.89+/-33.51 pg/ml) (P<0.01). The inactive patients also had significantly increased serum levels of IL-13 and NGF as compared with normal controls (IL-13, 35.20+/-12.70 pg/ml; NGF, 111.40+/-32.54 pg/ml; P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the serum IL-13 levels were correlated with disease activity index of SLE (SLEDAI), ESR and serum levels of C3 (r= 0. 813, 0.504, -0.605, respectively). The serum NGF levels were also correlated with above markers (r=0.442, 0.338, -0.463, respectively). The serum levels of IL-13 and NGF had a positive correlation (r=0.506, P<0.01). It was suggested that IL-13 and NGF might be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE and closely correlated with disease activity.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods ; Interleukin-13/*blood ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*blood ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/etiology ; Nerve Growth Factors/*blood

Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; blood ; Male

The expression of inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) in peripheral blood T lymphocytes from the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the role in the pathogenesis of SLE was investigated. By using two-color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay, the expression levels of ICOS in peripheal blood T lymphocytes from 33 patients with SLE and 16 healthy volunteers were detected. SLE diseases activity index (SLEDAI) of the patients with SLE was used to evaluate the disease activity. The correlation between the ICOS expression and SLEDAI was analyzed among the groups. The results showed that the expression levels of ICOS in T lymphocytes in active SLE group was markedly higher than those in the control and inactive SLE groups (both P< 0.01). There was no significant difference in the expression levels of ICOS between the inactive SLE and the control groups (P>0.05). In active SLE and inactive SLE groups, positive linear correlation was found between the levels of the ICOS expression in T lymphocytes and SLEDAI (r=0. 711, P=0.001; r=0.561, P=0.03). It was suggested that the expression of ICOS in peripheral blood T lymphocytes from the patients with active SLE was up-regulated and and ICOS might be related to the pathogenesis of SLE.
Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/*biosynthesis ; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/genetics ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/etiology ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*immunology ; T-Lymphocytes/*immunology

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether serum C1q-circulating immune complexes (C1q-CIC) serve as a predictive marker for renal flares in patients with lupus nephritis. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with lupus nephritis and 24 healthy controls were enrolled. Patients with lupus nephritis had their serum C1q-CIC titers and other serologic parameters such as serum C3, C4, anti-dsDNA antibody, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate measured simultaneously. The systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) was also checked. RESULTS: Serum C1q-CIC titers were higher in patients with lupus nephritis than in healthy controls (109.33+/-53.79 microg/mL vs. 75.28+/-22.91 microg/mL, p=0.008). A statistically significant association was found between serum C1q-CIC titers and C3 (p=0.011), C4 (p=0.027), and anti-dsDNA antibody (p=0.014). SLEDAI was also correlated with serum C1q-CIC titers (p=0.022). CONCLUSION: Serum C1q-CIC appears to be related to renal disease activity in patients with lupus nephritis. These results suggest that serum C1q-CIC is a predictive marker for renal flares in patients with lupus nephritis.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Blood Sedimentation ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Lupus Nephritis

Chilblain lupus erythematosus is a special, relatively rare subtype of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Usually, discoid lesions precede or occur concurrently with perniotic lesions, and about 20% of the patients later develop systemic lupus erythematosus. Herein, we present a 26-year-old female patient who developed erythematous to purplish scaly and crusted papules on the palms, fingers and toes. She also had erythematous hyperkeratotic plaques on the ears and scalp with scarring alopecia that was consistent with discoid lupus erythematosus. Histopathologic finding revealed perivascular and periappendigeal lymphocytic infiltration and fibrin deposition in dermal blood vessels. Therefore, this represents a case of chilblain lupus erythematosus which is a rare subtype and shows typical clinical and histopathologic findings.
Adult ; Alopecia ; Blood Vessels ; Chilblains* ; Cicatrix ; Ear ; Female ; Fibrin ; Fingers ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous ; Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Scalp ; Toes

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) has multiple biological properties, including the induction of other cytokine production and the inhibition of T cell apoptosis. Recently, IL-15 was reported to have a major role in synovial inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis, and that it provokes and amplifies the inflammatory process through the activation of TNF-alpha production. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the dysregulation of apoptosis and various cytokine production were observed and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of SLE. Thus, we tried to determine serum IL-15 levels in SLE patients and to assess the relationship among IL-15 levels, TNF-alpha levels and disease activity of SLE. Twenty SLE patients and 10 controls were studied. Paired serum samples were collected from all SLE patients at the time of presentation with active disease and at 4 weeks after institution of treatment. IL-15 levels were determined by ELISA and compared with the disease activity indices in SLE. The disease activity of SLE was measured using the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and laboratory parameters such as circulating immune complex (CIC), C3, C4, anti-DNA antibody, IgG, IgM, and IgA. The IL-15 levels in SLE patients were significantly higher than those of controls (5.38 +/- 4.89 vs. 1.04 +/- 1.26 pg/ml). However, elevated IL-15 levels did not correlate with the SLEDAI, nor did they correlate with other laboratory activity indices. The changes in serum IL-15 levels did not correlate with the changes in serum TNF-alpha in the disease course of SLE patients, whereas TNF-alpha reflected the changes in disease activity of SLE. Serum levels of IL-15 are elevated in SLE patients, but IL-15 did not correlate with the disease activity of SLE. TNF-alpha production in SLE patients was unlikely to be related with IL-15.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Female ; Glucocorticoids, Synthetic/therapeutic use ; Human ; Interleukin-15/blood* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/physiopathology ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/drug therapy ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood* ; Male ; Prednisolone/therapeutic use ; Tumor Necrosis Factor/analysis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with causes including activation of innate and adaptive immune systems. SLE patients are with a high risk of thrombosis, which may be due to disease activation, immune complexes, toxic antibodies and high level of inflammation. This article discusses neutrophil/NET factor, antibody factor, platelet factor and particle factor which is involved in coagulation pathways and thrombus formation mechanism under the state of immune disorders in SLE.
Blood Coagulation ; Blood Coagulation Factors ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; immunology ; Thrombophilia ; immunology ; Thrombosis

This study examined the gene expression patterns of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) technology. Following the construction of serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) library of PBMCs collected from 3 cases of familial SLE patients, a large scale of tag sequencing was performed. The data extracted from sequencing files was analyzed with SAGE 2000 V 4.5 software. The top 30 expressed genes of SLE patients were uploaded to http://david.niaid.nih.gov/david/ease.htm and the functional classification of genes was obtained. The differences among those expressed gene were analyzed by Chi-square tests. The results showed that a total of 1286 unique SAGE tags were identified from 1814 individual SAGE tags. Among the 1286 unique tags, 86.8% had single copy, and only 0.2% tags had more than 20 copies. And 68.4% of the tags matched known expressed sequences, 41.1% of which matched more than one known expressed sequence. About 31.6% of the tags had no match and could represent potentially novel genes. Approximately one third of the top 30 genes were ribosomal protein, and the rest were genes related to metabolism or with unknown functions. Eight tags were found to express differentially in SAGE library of SLE patients. This study draws a profile of gene expression patterns of PBMCs in patients with SLE. Comparison of SAGE database from PBMCs between normal individuals and SLE patients will help us to better understand the pathogenesis of SLE.
Expressed Sequence Tags ; Gene Expression Profiling/*methods ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear/*metabolism ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*genetics ; Sequence Tagged Sites ; Transcription, Genetic

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were the identification of the abnormalities in lipid profiles and the correlations between serum lipid profiles and inflammatory parameters in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. METHODS: The subjects were 50 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who have been treated in rheumatology clinic, Yeungnam University Hospital. Serum lipids and apolipoproteins were measured and compared with those of age- and sex-matched controls. In systemic lupus erythematosus group, disease activities were assessed by systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. RESULTS: All lipid profiles were within normal range but most of lipoprotein levels were higher in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus than controls. Triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein were statistically significant (p=0.001, p=0.023, and p=0.001 respectively). Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein were significantly increased in systemic lupus erythematosus patients with proteinuria (>or=100 mg/dL/24hr) than in patients without proteinuria. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein had positive correlations and apolipoprotein A-II had negative correlation with systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index. Low-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B had positive correlations, high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A-II had negative correlations with erythrocyte sedimentation rate. But differences of lipid profiles according to the duration of disease and total doses of steroid were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study showed that triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and very-low-density lipoprotein in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were higher than controls. Total cholesterol and LDL in patients with SLE had positive correlations with disease activities.
Apolipoprotein A-II ; Apolipoproteins ; Blood Sedimentation ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Proteinuria ; Reference Values ; Rheumatology ; Triglycerides