Expression Levels Of Serum Galectin-9 And Its Correlation Analysis In Patients With Rheumatiod Arthritis-associated With Interstitial Lung Disease

Objective:To explore the effect of Gal-9 in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Interstitial Lung Disease(RA-ILD),we measured blood levels of Gal-9 and interleukin(IL)-17 in the patients with RA and RA-ILD and made a correlation analysis with 28-joint Disease Activity Score(DAS28),ESR,hs CRP,RF,anti-CCP antibody and Blood gas analysis and Pulmonary function tests.Methods:Based on established clinical criteria,77 RA patients and 20 healthy controls(HC) were recruited in this study.RA patients were divided into ILD groups(n=24),non-ILD(n=53)and according to DAS28,RA patients were divided into high,medium and low-grade group activities.The concentretions of serum Gal-9 and IL-17 were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).We investigated the correlation analysis of serum Gal-9 and DAS28,ESR,hs CRP,RF,anti-CCP antibody and Blood gas analysis and Pulmonary function tests.Results:1.The values of gender,disease duration,tender joint count,DAS28 and the titer of RF in RA patients with ILD were higher than that of those without ILD(P<0.05);2.The levels of serum Gal-9 in RA patients with ILD were significantly lower than that of those without ILD(midian values: 113.3ng/L vs 142.5ng/L,P<0.01)although the both values were greater than that of HC(midian values:87.5ng/L,P<0.05).The levels of serum IL-17 in RA patients with ILD were significantly higher than that of those without ILD(midian values: 13.9ng/L vs 11.6ng/L,P<0.05)although the both values were greater than that of HC(midian values:7.3ng/L,P<0.01);3.In the group of DAS28 activitiy,serum level of Gal-9 of low disease group was higer than high,moderate disease activity(M:153.3ng/L,133.5ng/L,134ng/L,P<0.05);th e difference of the levels of serum IL-17 was statistically significant in the higer,m oderate and low disease group(M:13.8ng/L,12.0ng/L,9.8ng/L,P<0.05);4.The levels of serum Gal-9 were a negative correlation with ESR and DAS28 in RA patients(rs=-0.240,P<0.05;rs=-0.254,P<0.05),and a positive correlation with IL-17 in RA and DLCO in RA-ILD(rs=0.356,P<0.05;rs=0.594,P<0.01);5.The levels of serum IL-17 were a positive correlation with swollen joint count,tender joint count,hc CRP,ESR and DAS28(rs=0.368,P<0.01;rs=0.419,P<0.01;rs=0.261,P<0.05;rs=0.386,P<0.01;rs=0.527,P<0.01),but the levels of serum IL-17 had no correlation with RF,anti-CCP antibody and Blood gas analysis and Pulmonary function tests.Conclusions:1.RA-ILD was more common in male patients, as well as those with longer duration of disease, repeated persistent inflammatory status and high titer of RF patients.2.Gal-9 may inhibit the progression of interstitial lung disease in RA-ILD patients.3.The expression of Gal-9 may reduce the disease activity of RA.