Abstract
Background: Decreased activity of serum desoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported, but its role as a biomarker in SLE is still unelucidated.
Methods: Seventy-seven SLE patients (aged 39.6±13.1 years) were studied for serum DNase I activity, levels of antinuclear (ANA), anti-dsDNA [high-avidity ELISA, conventional ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF)], anti-nucleosome, anti-histone antibodies, complement components C3 and C4. SLE disease activity was evaluated by disease activity index (SLEDAI-2K). Thirty-five patients were serologically and clinically followed for 3–12 months (mean 5.6±2.8). Thirty-seven healthy blood donors were the control group.
Results: DNase I activity in SLE patients was lower than in healthy controls (p<0.01). DNase I activity was in positive correlation with SLEDAI-2K (p<0.01), levels of ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-nucleosome and anti-histone antibodies (p<0.01) and in negative correlation with C3 concentration (p<0.05). The highest correlation was found between DNase I activity and anti-dsDNA concentrations determined by high-avidity ELISA (r=0.624), followed by IIF (r=0.541) and conventional ELISA (r=0.405). In the follow-up study, DNase I activity also correlated with SLEDAI-2K (p<0.01). SLE patients with low DNase I activity more frequently had SLE-specific cutaneous lesions (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Monitoring of DNase I activity simultaneously with SLEDAI-2K might be a useful tool in the follow-up of SLE. An increase of DNase I activity characterized relapse in most SLE patients, although it did not reach the levels of healthy individuals. A decrease of DNase I activity in SLE flare-ups might be a functional biomarker of a subset of patients with specific dysfunction of apoptotic chromatin degradation.
Conflict of interest statement
Authors’ conflict of interest disclosure: The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. Research funding played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
Research funding: Supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia, Grant No 175065.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Authors’ conflict of interest disclosure: None declared.
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