Clinical Study On The Relationship Between TCM Syndromes And The Expression Of SFas,sFasL And Interlinkin-8 In Lupus Nephritis

Objective:To explore the change and the clinical significance of the expression of serum soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas Ligand (sFasL) and interlinkin-8(IL-8) of serum and urine in patients with lupus nephritis(LN) and to study the relationship of them to TCM syndromes in LN.Materials and Methods: According to American Rheumatology Academy standard(ARA),73 patients(9 male and 64 female) with LN, with an average age of 34.40± 14.27 years, were divided into four groups based on Zheng differentiation-classification, such as Excess of Noxious Heat(ENH),Interior Heat due to Yin Deficiency(IHYD), Qi - Yin Deficiency(QYD),and Spleen-Kidney Yang Deficiency(SYKYD).20 healthy volunteers(5 male and 15 female) were taken as the normal control group, with an average age of 27.20 ±2.02 year .The expression of sFas, sFasL were examined by ELISA, and IL-8 of serum and urine were determined by radiate immunity assay.Result: The levels of serum sFas, serum sFasL and IL-8 of serum and urine in LN patients were significantly higher than those normal control group(p<0.01),The levels of serum sFas, serum sFasL and IL-8 of serum and urine were significantly positively related to SLE disease active index(r=0.578, p<0.01; r=0.363 p<0.01 ; r=0.387,p<0.01 ; r=0.403,p<0.01) in those LN patients. Serum sFas was positively related to IL-8 of serum(r =0.339, p<0.01); serum sFasL was positively related to IL-8 of urine(r=0.278, p<0.05).Except Interior Heat due to Yin Deficiency(IHYD) having significant differentiation from the other TCM syndromes on the level of IL-8 of serum ,and Excess of Noxious Heat(ENH) having the differentiation from Interior Heat due to Yin Deficiency(IHYD),there were not significantly difference among various TCM syndromes in the levels of serum sFas and sFasL and disease index.Conclusion: The higher expression of serum sFas and sFasL and IL-8 of serum and urine may lead to abnormal apoptosis and play important role in the pathogenesis of LN. The level of serum sFas and sFasL and IL-8 of serum and urine may serve as active indexes for SLE and LN. There was certain significant on the level of IL-8 of serum and urine in Interior Heat due to Yin Deficiency (IHYD), but we think TCM syndrome is inappropriate to assess the disease activity and it needs further research.