OBJECTIVES To determine the presence and clinical associations of the soluble receptors of B cell-activating factor from the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) in serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Serum BAFF and soluble BAFF receptor (sBAFF-R) were quantified using ELISA, and soluble B cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) and transmembrane activator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (sTACI) by Luminex, in 87 SLE patients and 17 healthy controls (HC). Disease activity and organ damage were assessed using SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) SLE Damage Index (SDI), respectively. RESULTS BAFF and all receptors were detectable in all serum samples. Serum sBCMA and sTACI, but not sBAFF-R, were significantly higher in SLE than in HC. Serum BAFF was also increased in SLE, but this association was attenuated after adjusting for age and ethnicity. Increased serum BAFF was associated with flare and organ damage. Increased serum sBCMA was associated with the presence of anti-dsDNA, but not with overall or organ-specific disease activity, flare or organ damage. Neither sTACI nor sBAFF-R was associated with any SLE clinical parameters in multivariable analysis. While serum BAFF correlated negatively with sBAFF-R in HC, no statistically significant correlations were observed between BAFF and its receptors in SLE patients. CONCLUSION Serum BAFF was associated with flare and organ damage independent of the presence of its soluble receptors. While sBCMA was associated with anti-dsDNA positivity, other soluble BAFF receptors were not associated with SLE clinical indicators.

中文翻译：

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系统性红斑狼疮中肿瘤坏死因子家族（BAFF）血清B细胞激活因子及其可溶性受体的分析。

目的 确定系统性红斑狼疮 (SLE) 患者血清中肿瘤坏死因子家族 (BAFF) 可溶性 B 细胞激活因子受体的存在及其临床关联。方法使用 ELISA 对 87 名 SLE 患者和 17 名健康对照 (HC) 的血清 BAFF 和可溶性 BAFF 受体 (sBAFF-R) 进行定量，并使用 Luminex 对可溶性 B 细胞成熟抗原 (sBCMA) 和跨膜激活剂和亲环蛋白配体相互作用物 (sTACI) 进行定量。 . 疾病活动和器官损伤分别使用 SLE 疾病活动指数 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) 和系统性狼疮国际合作诊所 (SLICC) SLE 损伤指数 (SDI) 进行评估。结果 BAFF 和所有受体在所有血清样品中都可检测到。SLE 患者的血清 sBCMA 和 sTACI（而非 sBAFF-R）显着高于 HC。SLE 患者的血清 BAFF 也有所增加，但这种关联在调整了年龄和种族后减弱。血清 BAFF 增加与发作和器官损伤有关。血清 sBCMA 增加与抗 dsDNA 的存在相关，但与整体或器官特异性疾病活动、发作或器官损伤无关。在多变量分析中，sTACI 和 sBAFF-R 均与任何 SLE 临床参数无关。虽然血清 BAFF 与 HC 中的 sBAFF-R 呈负相关，但在 SLE 患者中未观察到 BAFF 与其受体之间的统计学显着相关性。结论 血清 BAFF 与发作和器官损伤相关，与其可溶性受体的存在无关。虽然 sBCMA 与抗 dsDNA 阳性相关，但其他可溶性 BAFF 受体与 SLE 临床指标无关。