The Expression Of PTX3 In Patients With Systemic Sclerosis And Significance To Related Vasculopathy

Objective: To investigate the significance of serum pentraxin 3(PTX3)in evaluation of systemic sclerosis(SSc)activity and the related vasculopathy.Methods:1 We recruited for this study 37 consecutive naive-to-therapy patients with SSc that had been admitted to the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University.31 healthy control were matched for age,gender and BMI.Patients were divided into different groups.According to the pattern of skin involvement: diffuse cutaneous SSc(dSSc)group(n=6)and limited cutaneous SSc(lSSc)group(n=31);According to 2016 revised EUSTAR activity index:active group(revised index > 2.5,n=11)and non-active group(revised index?2.5,n=26);According to disease duration: early course group(duration?3 years,n=23)and late course group(duration>3 years,n=14);According to different clinical manifestation: non-digital ulcer(DU)group(n=30)and DU group(n=7),non-pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH)group(n=28)and PAH group(n=9).2 Serum PTX3 and FGF2 levels were assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technique(ELISA).All the SSc patients received modified Rodnan skin score(mRss)and nilfold capillary examination.Total skin scores(TSS)and nilfold capillary total score(NCTS)were recorded respectively.3 Demographic data,BMI,clinical features and laboratory findings of SSc patients were recorded.Serum PTX3 and FGF2 levels were compared and analyzed,coupled with association analyses.Results:1 Serum PTX3 and FGF2 levels in SSc group were significantly higher than the control group(P<0.05),and there were no differences in differentdisease duration group of the patients(P>0.05).2 There were no differences in serum PTX3 and FGF2 between dSSc and l SSc group(P>0.05).3 Serum PTX3 in active SSc group was higher than that in non-active group and the control(P<0.05);however the differences of serum FGF2 were only observed in active group and the control group(P<0.05).4 Serum PTX3 and PTX3/FGF2 ratio in DU patients with SSc were higher than non-DU patients(P<0.05).There was no differences in serum FGF2 levels between DU and non-DU patients(P>0.05).5 Serum PTX3 and PTX3/FGF2 ratio in PAH patients with SSc were higher than non-PAH Patients(P<0.05),while there were no differences in serum FGF2 levels between PAH and non-PAH patients(P>0.05).6 Serum PTX3 levels in SSc patients with lung fibrosis,low percent diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide(DLCO%),low high density lipoprotein(HDL),high cholesterol(CHOL)and high low density lipoprotein(LDL)were higher than that without(P<0.05)..7 Serum PTX3 levels in SSc were positively associated with TSS,NCTS,CHOL and LDL(P<0.01);while negatively associated with DLCO%(P<0.05).Of note,there was negative correlations between serum FGF2 and DLCO%(P<0.05).8 It was found in Logistic regression results that SSc patients with elevated PTX3/FGF2 ratio and LDL were more likely to develop PAH(P=0.043,OR=1.028;P=0.025,OR=1.122).Conclusions:1 Serum PTX3 levels can be used as an indicator for disease activity monitoring in SSc patients.2 PTX3 involves the process of vasculopathy in SSc,which possibly performs via inhibiting endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis by FGF2.The imbalance of PTX3/FGF2 ratio may contribute predicting whether or not SSc patients develop DU and(or)PAH future.3 SSc patients with elevated serum PTX3 are more likely to develop atherosclerosis.4 PTX3 and FGF2 possibly involve the progress of skin and(or)lung fibrosis in SSc.5 PTX3/FGF2 ratio and LDL are possibly independent risk factors for SSc with PAH.