You-Jung Ha1, Jin-Su Park2, Mi-Il Kang3, Soo-Kon Lee4, Yong-Beom Park4, Sang-Won Lee4. 1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, South Korea. 2. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang-si, South Korea. 3. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, South Korea. 4. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Abstract
AIM: Interleukin (IL)-32 is known to act as a proinflammatory cytokine and is likely involved in several chronic inflammatory diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate whether serum IL-32 levels are elevated in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and to identify the correlation between IL-32 levels and disease activity. METHODS: We enrolled 50 patients with BD and 35 healthy controls. Serum IL-32 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum levels of IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 were measured using a multiplex assay. BD disease activity was determined using the Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF). RESULTS: Serum IL-32 levels were significantly higher in patients with BD (median [interquartile ranges], 0.4 [0.1-736.2] pg/mL) than in healthy controls (0.1 [0.1-14.7] pg/mL, P = 0.041). When patients with BD were divided into active (patient index score ≥ 2 or transformed index score ≥ 5 in the BDCAF) and inactive groups, IL-32 levels tended to be higher in patients with active BD, although this observation was statistically insignificant. Serum levels of IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 did not differ between active and inactive groups. There was a weak positive correlation between serum IL-32 levels and BDCAF scores (R = 0.301, P = 0.033). BD patients with recent arthralgia exhibited higher IL-32 levels than did those without (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that IL-32 may play a minor role in the pathogenesis of BD.
AIM: Interleukin (IL)-32 is known to act as a proinflammatory cytokine and is likely involved in several chronic inflammatory diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate whether serum IL-32 levels are elevated in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and to identify the correlation between IL-32 levels and disease activity. METHODS: We enrolled 50 patients with BD and 35 healthy controls. Serum IL-32 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum levels of IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 were measured using a multiplex assay. BD disease activity was determined using the Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF). RESULTS: Serum IL-32 levels were significantly higher in patients with BD (median [interquartile ranges], 0.4 [0.1-736.2] pg/mL) than in healthy controls (0.1 [0.1-14.7] pg/mL, P = 0.041). When patients with BD were divided into active (patient index score ≥ 2 or transformed index score ≥ 5 in the BDCAF) and inactive groups, IL-32 levels tended to be higher in patients with active BD, although this observation was statistically insignificant. Serum levels of IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 did not differ between active and inactive groups. There was a weak positive correlation between serum IL-32 levels and BDCAF scores (R = 0.301, P = 0.033). BD patients with recent arthralgia exhibited higher IL-32 levels than did those without (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that IL-32 may play a minor role in the pathogenesis of BD.