This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (19) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Becker-Merok, A Articles by Nossent, H C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Becker-Merok, A Articles by Nossent, H C Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

B-lymphocyte activating factor in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis in relation to autoantibody levels, disease measures and time

Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway

C Nikolaisen

Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway

H C Nossent

Department of Rheumatology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Northern Norway, Tromsø, Norway, hans.nossent{at}fagmed.uit.no

Overexpression of B-lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) results in arthritis, glomerulonephritis and autoantibody formation in mice, but its role in human autoimmune disease is less obvious. Serum BAFF levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n = 42) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 60) were related to levels of disease activity, anti-dsDNA Ab, anti-ENA Ab, rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-CCP Ab. BAFF levels were also followed over time in 19 SLE patients. BAFF levels correlated inversely with age, were higher in SLE than RA (median 2.7 versus 1.4 ng/mL, P < 0.01) and more SLE than RA patients had increased BAFF levels (57% versus 10%, P 0.01). In SLE, BAFF levels correlated with SLEDAI scores but not with anti-dsDNA Ab levels. SLE patients with increased BAFF levels had higher SLEDAI and CRP levels. In RA, BAFF levels correlated weakly with anti-CCP levels (Rs 0.27, P = 0.07), but not with joint counts, ESR, CRP or RF levels. Longitudinal BAFF levels remained unaltered in two thirds of SLE patients and changes in BAFF levels were unrelated to disease flares. These findings suggest that BAFF stimulation of B-cells may contribute to SLE by other mechanisms than autoantibody production.

Key Words: autoantibodies • B-cell activating factor • rheumatoid arthritis • systemic lupus erythematosus

Lupus, Vol. 15, No. 9, 570-576 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0961203306071871


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				X.-j. Zhu, Y. Shi, J. Peng, C.-s. Guo, N.-n. Shan, P. Qin, X.-b. Ji, and M. Hou The effects of BAFF and BAFF-R-Fc fusion protein in immune thrombocytopenia Blood, December 17, 2009; 114(26): 5362 - 5367. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Le Pottier, B. Bendaoud, Y. Renaudineau, P. Youinou, J.-O. Pers, and C. Daridon New ELISA for B Cell-Activating Factor Clin. Chem., October 1, 2009; 55(10): 1843 - 1851. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O Krystufkova, T Vallerskog, S B. Helmers, H Mann, I Putova, J Belacek, V Malmstrom, C Trollmo, J Vencovsky, and I E Lundberg Increased serum levels of B cell activating factor (BAFF) in subsets of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies Ann Rheum Dis, June 1, 2009; 68(6): 836 - 843. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Lindh, S. M. Lind, E. Lindmark, S. Hassler, J. Perheentupa, L. Peltonen, O. Winqvist, and M. C. I. Karlsson AIRE regulates T-cell-independent B-cell responses through BAFF PNAS, November 25, 2008; 105(47): 18466 - 18471. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Nossent, S. Lester, D. Zahra, C. R. Mackay, and M. Rischmueller Polymorphism in the 5' regulatory region of the B-lymphocyte activating factor gene is associated with the Ro/La autoantibody response and serum BAFF levels in primary Sjogren's syndrome Rheumatology, September 1, 2008; 47(9): 1311 - 1316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Y. Lin, Q. Gong, D. Seshasayee, Z. Lin, Q. Ou, S. Ye, E. Suto, J. Shu, W. Pun Lee, C.-W. V. Lee, et al. Anti-BR3 antibodies: a new class of B-cell immunotherapy combining cellular depletion and survival blockade Blood, December 1, 2007; 110(12): 3959 - 3967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Binard and P. Youinou BAFF, A newcomer to the lupus party Lupus, September 1, 2007; 16(9): 699 - 700. [PDF]