Parisis Dorian, Sarrand Julie, Soyfoo Muhammad
Department of Rheumatology, Hôpital Erasme, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles HUB, Université Libre de Bruxelles ULB, 1070 Brussels, Belgium.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 May 19;26(10):4877. doi: 10.3390/ijms26104877.
The objective of this study was to explore the expression profile of the Interleukin (IL)-37/IL-18/IL-18BP/IL-18R axis in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). This study included 36 patients diagnosed with pSS, 13 patients presenting with sicca symptoms without confirmed pSS, and 14 healthy controls. Serum concentrations of IL-37, IL-18, IL-18BP, and IL-18R were measured using a sandwich ELISA. These levels were then correlated with relevant clinical and biological parameters. Furthermore, expression of the same cytokines was assessed in salivary gland biopsies via immunohistochemistry. No significant difference in serum IL-37 levels was observed among the three groups ( = 0.1695). However, serum levels of IL-18 and IL-18BP were significantly elevated in pSS patients compared to healthy controls ( < 0.0001), and these levels were strongly correlated. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed significantly higher expression of IL-37 in both the excretory ducts and inflammatory infiltrates of salivary glands in pSS patients compared to sicca patients. No correlation was found between IL-37 expression and the histological severity of glandular infiltration as assessed by the Chisholm score. In addition, an enhanced expression of IL-18, IL-18BP, and IL-18Rα was observed in the salivary glands of pSS patients. These findings suggest the potential contribution of the IL-37/IL-18/IL-18BP/IL-18R signaling axis in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome, particularly through its increased expression in salivary glands and correlation with disease-specific inflammatory markers. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of pSS immunopathology and suggest new avenues for biomarker development or therapeutic targeting.
本研究的目的是探究原发性干燥综合征(pSS)患者中白细胞介素(IL)-37/IL-18/IL-18BP/IL-18R轴的表达谱。本研究纳入了36例诊断为pSS的患者、13例有干燥症状但未确诊pSS的患者以及14名健康对照者。采用夹心酶联免疫吸附测定法(ELISA)检测血清中IL-37、IL-18、IL-18BP和IL-18R的浓度。然后将这些水平与相关的临床和生物学参数进行关联分析。此外,通过免疫组织化学评估唾液腺活检组织中相同细胞因子的表达。三组之间血清IL-37水平未观察到显著差异(P = 0.1695)。然而,与健康对照相比,pSS患者血清中IL-18和IL-18BP水平显著升高(P < 0.0001),且这些水平呈强相关性。免疫组织化学分析显示,与有干燥症状的患者相比,pSS患者唾液腺排泄管和炎性浸润中IL-37的表达显著更高。通过Chisholm评分评估,未发现IL-37表达与腺体浸润的组织学严重程度之间存在相关性。此外,在pSS患者的唾液腺中观察到IL-18、IL-18BP和IL-18Rα的表达增强。这些发现提示IL-37/IL-18/IL-18BP/IL-18R信号轴在干燥综合征发病机制中可能发挥作用,特别是通过其在唾液腺中表达增加以及与疾病特异性炎症标志物的相关性。这些发现可能有助于更好地理解pSS的免疫病理学,并为生物标志物开发或治疗靶点提供新途径。