Serum osteopontin: a biomarker of disease activity and predictor of relapsing course in patients with giant cell arteritis. Potential clinical usefulness in tocilizumab-treated patients

• Published in: Rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases open 2017, Vol.3 (2), p.e000570-e000570
• Main Authors: Prieto-González, Sergio, Terrades-García, Nekane, Corbera-Bellalta, Marc, Planas-Rigol, Ester, Miyabe, Chie, Alba, Marco A, Ponce, Ariel, Tavera-Bahillo, Itziar, Murgia, Giuseppe, Espígol-Frigolé, Georgina, Marco-Hernández, Javier, Hernández-Rodríguez, José, García-Martínez, Ana, Unizony, Sebastian H, Cid, Maria C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Vasculitis
• ISSN: 2056-5933; 2056-5933
• DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000570

BackgroundOsteopontin (OPN) is a glycoprotein involved in Th1 and Th17 differentiation, tissue inflammation and remodelling. We explored the role of serum OPN (sOPN) as a biomarker in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).MethodssOPN was measured by immunoassay in 76 treatment-naïve patients with GCA and 25 age-matched and sex-matched controls. In 36 patients, a second measurement was performed after 1 year of glucocorticoid treatment. Baseline clinical and laboratory findings, as well as relapses and glucocorticoid requirements during follow-up, were prospectively recorded. sOPN and C reactive protein (CRP) were measured in 32 additional patients in remission treated with glucocorticoids or tocilizumab (interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor antagonist). In cultured temporal arteries exposed and unexposed to tocilizumab, OPN mRNA expression and protein production were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoassay, respectively.ResultssOPN concentration (ng/mL; mean±SD) was significantly elevated in patients with active disease (116.75±65.61) compared with controls (41.10±22.65; p