| Objective:Serum levels of stem cell factor(SCF)in patients with lupus nephritis(LN)were measured to investigate the difference compared with healthy control(HC)group.In addition,we evaluated if SCF can differentiate in distinct LN activity,renal pathology and the response to therapy groups,and whether SCF could be associated with LN activity,pathological types and the degree of difficulty in disease treatment.The aim of this study was to explore the potential role of SCF in the LN pathogenesis.Methods:60 cases of LN patients who underwent routine renal biopsy were selected from LN patients who had hospitalized in the Jining No.1 People's Hospital from March 2014 to September 2016.Gender,age,weight,disease duration,main symptom and other clinical signs were collected.Laboratory tests recorded in this study included blood cell counts,erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),biochemical testing,urine routine,24-hour urine protein quantification(UTP),urinary erythrocyte morphology,complement C3,complement C4,anti-nuclear antibodies(ANA)and anti-ds DNA antibodies titers.estimated glomerular filtration rate(e GFR)was calculated.SLE disease activity was calculated using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index(SLEDAI-2000).The activity index(AI),the chronicity index(CI)and renal tubulointerstitial lesion score(TIL)were calculated accord to renal pathology.According to the SLEDAI-2000,LN patients were divided into two groups: active nephritis group(30)and nonactive nephritis group(30).Moreover,all the samples were divided into 6 groups based upon LN classification system: class type?(n?=?7),type ?(n?=?10),type ?(n?=?13),type V(n?=?15),type ?+?(n?=?8),type ?+?(n?=?7).In addition,the patients were separated into treatment-refractory(17)and treatment-sensitive group(32)on the basis of the response to therapy.30 Gender and age-matched healthy adults were recruited as HC.The clinical data was also gathered.Serum levels of SCF were detected by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Spearman's rank correlation test was used for correlations between the serum SCF levels and clinical data,LN activity and renal pathology.Results:Gender,age were all not statistically different among different groups(P >0.05).The levels of SCF were significantly elevated in LN patients(332.87±56.37)ng/L than that in HC samples(154.06±22.49)ng/L(P<0.01).Patients with active LN(357.29±63.85)ng/L exhibited higher levels of SCF compared with the other LN patients(310.03±40.17)ng/L(P<0.01).Class ?,? LN groups had significantly higher SCF levels compared to Class ?,V groups respectively(c2=45.38,P<0.05).The serum SCF levels in the patients with refractory lupus nephritis(357.29 ± 63.85)ng/L were significantly elevated than that in the treatment-sensitive group(310.03 ±40.17)ng/L(t=2.633,P< 0.05).Serum levels of SCF were positively related to UTP,Anti-ds DNA titer,ANA titer,SLEDAI,AI and TIL((r = 0.297,r = 0.353,r = 0.285,r = 0.469,r = 0.390,r = 0.317,P< 0.05),but negatively correlated to C3,C4 in the LN patients group(r=-0.321,r =-0.361,P< 0.05),while Scr,e GFR,CI had no correlation with the serum SCF levels(r = 0.213,r =-0.144,r =-0.181,P> 0.05).Conclusion: 1.Serum SCF levels in LN patients were higher than that in healthy subjects and implied that SCF may be involved in the development of LN.2.The serum SCF levels in active LN patients were significantly higher than that in nonactive LN patients,and correlated with clinical activity index,AI,reflective of clinical and pathology changes,and emerged a serum biomarkers of LN activity.3.Class ?,? LN groups had significantly higher SCF levels compared to Class ?,V groups respectively,which indicated that serum SCF levels may attenuated renal pathological type and pathological proliferation degree of LN.4.The serum SCF levels were higher in refractory LN group in comparison with treatment-sensitive group,assisting in prediction of LN prognosis. |
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