Objective To investigate the expressions of chemokine receptors and interleukin (IL) receptors on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their correlations with clinical features as well as SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). Methods The mRNA expressions of chemokine receptors and IL receptors on PBMCs of 93 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, including CCR2, CCR3, CCR4, CCR5, CCR6, CCR8, CXCR3, CXCR5, CX3CR1, XCR1, IL-4R, and IL-10R. The clinical features of SLE patients were recorded. The correlations of chemokine receptors and IL receptors mRNA expressions with clinical features as well as SLEDAI were assayed using linear regression analysis. Results The level of CCR5 mRNA in SLE patients (including active and inactive SLE) was signifi- cantly higher than that in healthy controls (P〈0.05), and there was no significant difference between active and inactive patients in this respect (P〉0.05). CX3CR1 mRNA expression significantly increased from healthy control to inactive SLE to active SLE in sequence. The others (except for CCR8, CXCR3, and IL-1 OR) in active SLE patients weresignificantly higher than those in both inactive SLE patients and healthy controls (all P〈0.05). There were positive correlations between SLEDAI and CCR2 (r=0.424, t=4.313, P〈0.001), CCR3 (r=0.518, t=5.410, P〈0.001), CCR4 (r=0.376, t=3.851, P〈0.001), CCR6 (r=0.457, t=4.513,P〈0.001), CXCR5 (r=0.455, t=4.629, P〈0.001), CX3CR1 (r=0.44-5, t=4.523, P〈0.001), as well as XCRI (r=0.540, t=5.445, P〈0.001). And CCR5 mRNA expression level was positively correlated with IL-4R mRNA (r=0.313, t=2.353, P〈0.05). The patients with myositis and cutaneous vasculitis simultaneously showed lower levels of CCR5 and CX3CRI, and CCR5 expression was negatively correlated with the scores of SLEDAI in SLE cases accompanied by photosensitivity (r=0.
Yu-mei LiZhi-qiang ChenXu YaoAi-zhen YangAn-sheng LiDong-ming LiuJuan-qin Gong