Clinical significance of serum oncostatin m and antimyeloperoxidase antibody in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract EN

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is considered a model of autoimmune diseases.

It is characterized by the production of polygonal antibodies and abnormal expression of some cytokines.

Oncostatin M (OSM) that is a pleotropic cytokine can modulate the inflammatory response.

In the current study we measured serum OSM and anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibody levels in 20 definite SLE patients and 10 age and sex matched healthy controls using ELISA technique.

The patient’s disease activity score ranged from 12 – 60.

We found that the mean serum OSM concentration was significantly higher in SLE patients than in the control group (33.35 ± 15.9 pg / ml versus 3.22 ± 1.38 pg / ml) (p> 0.001); a cut off value of 5.98 pg/ ml had 100% sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic efficacy in differentiation between SLE patients and healthy controls.

The mean OSM serum concentration was lower in patients who received corticosteroids than in those who did not, but the difference between the two was of no statistical significance (p> 0.05).

Moreover, there was no significant correlation between OSM serum level, SLE activity score or specific organ affection.

On the other hand, the mean anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibody level was significantly higher in SLE patients than in the control group (4.9 ± 4.2 U/ml versus 1.61 ± 1.2 U/ml) (p> 0.001), and in patients who did not receive treatment as compared to those who received treatment (p > 0.05); a cut off value of 4.19 u/ ml had 50% sensitivity, 70% specificity and 57% diagnostic efficacy in differentiating SLE patients from controls.

There was a positive significant correlation between serum anti-MPO and SLE disease activity score.

Also we found that the mean anti-MPO level was higher in patients who had fever, alopecia, cardiac and / or pulmonary affection than those who did not (p > 0.01).

The mean serum C3 level was significantly lower in SLE patients as compared to the control group (50.98 ± 23.75 mg |dl versus 104.7 ± 38.27 mg|dl) (p > 0.001) and in patients who didn’t receive treatment as compared to those who received treatment (p > 0.05), a cut off value of 181.24 mg/dl had 100% sensitivity specificity and diagnostic efficacy in differentiation between SLE patients and healthy controls.

Also there was a significant negative correlation between C3 serum concentration and ESR and no correlation between C3 serum concentration and SLE activity score.

Conclusion: High serum OSM level (>6 pg /ml) and low serum C3 level (< 181 mg /dl) can be used as diagnostic tools and markers of active SLE, but they were not related to specific organ affection.

The possible role of high serum OSM concentration in SLE patients may be in modulation of the systemic inflammatory response in patients with active disease.

Serum anti MPO levels in SLE patients had a positive significant correlation with SLE activity score and high levels are associated with the occurrence of alopecia as well as cardiac and / or pulmonary affection.

So, serum anti MPO level might be used to follow response of therapy and disease activity.