Value of sTNF-R1 and linc0597 as indicators for disease activity and diagnosis of lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether Soluble tumor necrosis factor-receptor 1 (sTNF-R1) and linc0597 can be used as indicators for disease activity and diagnosis of lupus nephritis (LN). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty LN patients treated in our hospital were enrolled as the LN group, while 60 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients without nephritis were included in the SLE group, and 50 healthy subjects who conducted physical examination during the same period as the control group. After admission, 5 mL of venous blood was taken from all the study subjects to measure sTNF-R1 level and linc0597 expression by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and RT-qPCR respectively. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum sTNF-R1 and linc0597 for LN, and Spearman correlation coefficient was adopted for the correlation between sTNF-R1, linc0597, and LN clinical disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Moreover, the logistic multiple regression analysis was applied to analyze the independent risk factors affecting the complication of LN in SLE patients. RESULTS: The LN group presented significantly higher serum sTNF-R1 and linc0597 levels than the control group and the SLE group. Besides, ROC curve analysis revealed that sTNF-R1 and linc0597 had good clinical diagnostic value in LN and SLE. Furthermore, Spearman correlation coefficient indicated that serum sTNF-R1 and linc0597 were positively correlated with disease activity index SLEDAI (r=0.551, p<0.001; R =0.604, p<0.001). Moreover, multivariate Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age (p=0.001), fever (p=0.004), arthralgia (p=0.034), serum uric acid (p=0.019), decreased complement C3 (p=0.023), ANA peripheral type (p=0.007), anti-ds-DNA antibody (p=0.003), ANCA (p=0.002), sTNF-R1 (p=0.001), and linc0597 (p<0.001) were all independent risk factors affecting the complication of LN in SLE patients. CONCLUSIONS: STNF-R1 and linc0597 can be used as the indicators for disease activity and diagnosis of LN.

The role of miR-146a in modulating TRAF6-induced inflammation during lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVE: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a major complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A previous study showed decreased expression level of microRNA (miR)-146a in LN patients, indicating its possible role in LN pathogenesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 98 LN patients were recruited, for the collection of renal tissue samples during biopsy or surgery. Another cohort of 15 patients who had renal tumor resection was recruited as the control group, for the further comparison of expression levels of miR-146a, TRAF6 and p-p65 in tissues. Human glomerular mesangial cells were treated with miR-146a mimics, si-TRAF6 or both, followed by the evaluation of p65, p-p65, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. Transwell assay was performed to detect the effect of mesangial cells on chemotaxis of macrophage. RESULTS: MiR-146a expression was significantly depressed in renal tissues of LN patients, while TRAF6 expression, macrophage infiltration and p-p65 expression were all elevated as the activity of LN was induced. The up-regulation of miR-146a and/or down-regulation of TRAF6 can significantly inhibit NF-κB transcriptional activity of glomerular mesangial cells, while the gene expressions of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were suppressed. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of miR-146a in renal tissues of LN patients was significantly depressed, while the transcriptional activity of TRAF6 and NF-κB was enhanced. MiR-146 thus inhibited NF-κB transcriptional activity and inflammatory factor synthesis, and alleviated chemotactic effect towards macrophage via the inhibition of TRAF6 activity.