The Increased Interleukin-13 in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Relations to Other Thl-, Th2-Related Cytokines and Clinical Findings

Abstract

The levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were examined and related to other Thl-/Th2- related cytokines, clinical manifestations and other markers. Serum levels of IL-13 and other cytokines, soluble markers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients with active SLE had a significantly increased level of EL-13. Most patients with high levels of IL-13 had higher levels of IL-6, and some patients had high levels of ylFN. These patients were divided into two groups according to the patterns of these increased cytokines; one with a high level of only Th2 related cytokines (IL-13 or IL-6) and another with high levels of both Th2 related and Thl related cytokines (γIFN or IL-2). The latter patients had high levels of soluble CD8 and CD23, and some of them had hemolytic anemia or pulmonary involvement, while most of the former patients had nephropathy. Thus, in SLE, the levels of IL-13 were increased, and the heterogeneity of increased Th2- and Thl-related cytokines was related to that of activation markers and clinical manifestations

Key Words:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• IL-13
• Thl/Th2
• Activation markers