Down-regulation of expression of retinoid acid-related orphan receptor C (RORC) in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Context: Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor C (RORC), the key factor orchestrating the transcription of genes encoding interleukin 17, plays a critical role in the regulation of inflammatory responses. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the expression of RORC in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of SLE especially in relation to disease activity and clinical and biochemical findings. Methods: The study included 24 patients with SLE and a control group of 18 healthy gender- and age-matched individuals. Evaluation of the level of expression of RORC mRNA was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The results showed that patients with SLE had lower RORC gene expression levels compared with healthy subjects that were not correlated with disease activity. The down-regulation of RORC was significantly lower in patients with lupus nephritis in remission than active lupus nephritis and nonrenal patients. Conclusions: The findings suggest that RORC plays a significant role in the dysregulated immune response associated with SLE. Deciphering the intricate regulatory network and the target genes of RORC will help unravel new specific treatments for SLE.

• Autoimmunity
• expression
• interleukin 17
• retinoic acid-related orphan receptor C
• systemic lupus erythematosus

View correction statement:

Erratum

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.