ASSOCIATION OF IL-37 AND IL-40 WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS IN FEMALE IRAQI PATIENTS

Abstract

The primary cause of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is autoantibodies to self-antigens. Interleukin 37 (IL-37) and Interleukin 40 (IL-40) are important cytokines which may play a role in regulating inflammation and involved in pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases like SLE. This study was aimed the interleukin levels (IL-37 and IL-40) during systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) development in Iraqi female patients. The present study was conducted on 100 female SLE patients and 100 healthy female controls, with mean ages of patients and controls )32.85 ± 0.99 and 32.05 ± 0.91)years, respectively. Erythrocytes Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were investigated in this study. Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay(ELISA) kits examined levels of interleukins in the serum of patients and healthy controls. The results found that IL-37 levels in SLE patients were lower than in controls(23.39 ±0.92ng/mL vs48.02 ±0.46ng/mL), respectively, with a statistically significant. While serum IL-40 levels appeared to have a higher significant in patients compared with the healthy control (9.98 ±0.32ng/mL vs4.16 ±0.05ng/mL) respectively. Also, ESR and CRP was high significant in patients compared with healthy controls. In conclusion, these findings suggest that IL-40 and IL-37 could be used as a biomarker for SLE.