Elevated BAFF (BLyS) and APRIL in Juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients: Relation to clinical manifestations and disease activity

• Published in: Joint, bone, spine : revue du rhumatisme bone, spine : revue du rhumatisme, 2012-05, Vol.79 (3), p.285-290
• Main Authors: Gheita, Tamer A, Bassyouni, Iman H, Emad, Yasser, El-Din, Abeer M. Nour, Abdel-Rasheed, Enas, Hussein, Hani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; APRIL; APRIL protein; Arthritis; Arthritis, Juvenile - blood; Arthritis, Juvenile - immunology; Autoimmunity - immunology; B-Cell Activating Factor - blood; B-Cell Activating Factor - immunology; BAFF; BLyS protein; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Female; Health Status; Humans; Internal Medicine; Inventories; Joint diseases; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis; Lymphocytes B; Male; Rheumatology; Serum levels; Severity of Illness Index; Spine; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transcription factors; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 - blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 - immunology; Uveitis; Uveitis - blood; Uveitis - immunology
• ISSN: 1297-319X; 1778-7254
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbspin.2011.05.020

Abstract Objective To assess the level of B-cell activating factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) also known as B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) in the serum of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients and to detect their relation to the clinical manifestations and disease activity in the different subtypes of the disease. Methods Seventy-four consecutively recruited JIA patients were clinically examined, the Juvenile arthritis disease activity score in 27 joints (JADAS-27) calculated and Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) used to measure the functional status. Thirty-four healthy matched children served as controls. Routine laboratory examinations were recorded and serum BAFF and April were determined. Results The JIA patients were 20 systemic-onset, 31 oligoarticular and 23 polyarticular. Serum BAFF and APRIL were elevated in JIA patients being higher in systemic onset and both significantly correlated. APRIL significantly correlated with both JADAS-27 and CHAQ scores while BAFF correlated only with JADAS-27. The APRIL serum levels were significantly associated with the presence of RF and ANA. The BAFF serum levels were significantly higher in oligoarticular onset JIA patients with uveitis compared to those without. Conclusion Our results suggest increased BAFF and APRIL serum levels in JIA patients denoting their possible role in the disease and calling for additional research to elucidate the intrinsic mechanisms explaining APRIL and BAFF over expression.