Investigating the role of IL-33 in the pathogenesis of Behçet’s Disease

Abstract

Objectives: Behçet’s disease (BD) is an inflammatory disease, characterized by oral aphthous lesions, recurrent uveitis, skin lesions, and genital ulcerations. Increased release of several cytokines may play a role in the inflammatory stages of BD. IL-33, a member of the IL-1 cytokine superfamily, plays an important role in inflammation. We analyzed serum IL-33 concentration in BD patients to assess its possible role in the pathophysiology of this disease.

Methods: The study included 54 BD patients, 31 with active BD and 23 with inactive BD as well as 18 matched healthy controls. Serum IL-33 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: The mean serum IL-33 levels were 4.84 ± 2.81 pg/ml in the BD patients (6.16 ± 2.94 pg/ml in the active stage and 2.86 ± 0.54 pg/ml in the inactive stage) and 2.88 ± 0.42 pg/ml in the healthy controls. Serum IL-33 levels were significantly higher in patients with BD compared with the healthy controls (p < 0.01). In active Behçet patients with arthritis the mean serum IL-33 level was higher but this finding was not statistically significant (p = 0.122).

Conclusion: IL-33 may play a significant role of in the pathogenesis of BD.

Keywords:

• Behçet’s disease
• Immunology
• Interleukin-33
• Pathogenesis
• Rheumatology

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Nazlı Ecem Dal for technical assistance.

Portions of this study have been presented in abstract form at the Annual Meeting of the American-Association-of-Immunologists (AAI), Seattle, WA, on 13–17 May 2016.²⁶