Association between anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies and inflammatory mediators in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus

• Published in: Lupus 2014-06, Vol.23 (7), p.635-642
• Main Authors: Yokoyama, T, Fujii, T, Kondo-Ishikawa, S, Yamakawa, N, Nakano, M, Yukawa, N, Yoshifuji, H, Ohmura, K, Mimori, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies; Autoantibodies - blood; Autoantibodies - cerebrospinal fluid; Cerebrospinal fluid; Child; Cytokines; Female; Humans; Immunology; Inflammation - blood; Inflammation - cerebrospinal fluid; Laboratories; Lupus; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System - blood; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System - cerebrospinal fluid; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System - immunology; Male; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Proteins; Rheumatic diseases; Rheumatology; Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear - blood; Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear - cerebrospinal fluid; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0961-2033; 1477-0962
• DOI: 10.1177/0961203314522337

Objective We investigated possible associations between neurotoxic inflammatory mediators (IMs) and anti-U1RNP antibodies (Abs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). Methods Serum and CSF anti-U1RNP Abs were detected using an RNA-immunoprecipitation assay and CSF anti-U1RNP Ab levels were measured by ELISA. IFN-α, MCP-1 and IL-8 levels in CSF were determined by quantitative multiplex cytokine analysis. IM levels were compared among anti-U1RNP-positive and anti-U1RNP-negative NPSLE as well as other rheumatic disease controls (controls). Results Anti-U1RNP Abs were detected in serum (58%) and in CSF (18%) of 82 NPSLE patients. CSF MCP-1 levels were higher in NPSLE than in controls. CSF IFN-α level was higher in CSF anti-U1RNP Ab-positive than in -negative patients or controls. When limited to serum anti-U1RNP Ab-positive patients, however, levels of all three IMs in CSF were higher in CSF anti-U1RNP Ab-positive than in -negative patients. Anti-U1RNP Ab levels in CSF correlated with CSF MCP-1, but not IFN-α and IL-8 levels. Conclusions CSF anti-U1RNP Ab positivity is associated with increased level of CSF IFN-α. MCP-1 levels correlated with CSF anti-U1RNP Ab levels, whereas the increased CSF MCP-1 was not specific to CSF anti-U1RNP Ab-positive NPSLE.