Clinical Significance Of The Elevated Serum Batf And IL-17Levels In Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective:To measure the levels of BATF(B cell activating transcription factor) and interleukin(IL)-17in serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To analyze the correlation between serum level of BATF and IL-17, and these two index with disease activity as well as clinical features.Methods:Serum levels of BATF and IL-17were measured by ELISA in 102patients with SLE and30healthy controls.Results:The serum levels of BATF and IL-17were significantly higher in both active and inactive SLE patients comparing with the controls (both P<0.05), especially in active SLE patients. A positive correlation was found between BATF and IL-17levels in SLE patients (r=0.455, P<0.05). There were no differences between SLE patients with skin lesions and without skin lesions, with arthritis and without arthritis, and with hematologic damage and non-hematologic damage (P>0.05). The BATF and IL-17serum levels were higher in the lupus nephritis (LN) group than in the SLE patients without LN (P<0.05). No significant difference could be found between the WHO class Ⅰ group and class Ⅱ group (P>0.05). The serum levels of BATF were no difference between the WHO class Ⅲ、classⅣ groups and class V group (P>0.05). Comparison of the serum of BATF among the WHO class Ⅰ、Ⅱ groups and the WHO class Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ groups was significantly different(P<0.05). There had no difference with IL-17serum levels among the WHO class Ⅰ、Ⅱ、 Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ groups (P>0.05). The serum levels of BATF and IL-17were positively correlated with SLEDAI score (r=0.319,r=0.324, both P<0.05). A positive correlation was also found between the level of IL-17and24-hour urine protein in SLE patients (r=0.25,P<0.05)Conclusion:The serum levels of Thl7cell-related cytokines BATF and IL-17in SLE patients were elevated. They might be related to the development of SLE and kidney damage and imply that the BATF and IL-17play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.