Serum interferon-α is a useful biomarker in patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

We have tried to clarify the clinical importance of the measurement of serum type-I interferon (IFN) in patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 Ab (MDA5 Ab)-positive dermatomyositis (DM).

METHODS:

We studied 30 patients with DM: 10 were anti-MDA5 Ab-positive and 20 were anti-MDA5 Ab-negative. At each patient's initial visit, serum IFN-α, IFN-β, interleukin 18 (IL-18), ferritin, and the titer of anti-MDA5 Ab were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The associations between the IFNs and with the other variables were examined.

RESULTS:

Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD) was confirmed in 10 patients, most of whom were complicated in the anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM patients. The presence of clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) as well as the serum concentrations of IFN-α and ferritin was significantly higher in the anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM patients. Serum concentration of IL-18 did not differ between anti-MDA5 Ab-positive and anti-MDA5 Ab-negative groups; however, a positive correlation was found between IFN-α and IL-18 in the anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM patients (r = 0.8139, p = 0.0146).

CONCLUSION:

Serum IFN-α can be used as a useful biomarker in patients with anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM, which may reflect the presence of RPILD.

• Authors: Yoshiro Horai, Tomohiro Koga, Keita Fujikawa, Ayuko Takatani, Ayako Nishino, Yoshikazu Nakashima, Takahisa Suzuki, Shin-ya Kawashiri, Naoki Iwamoto, Kunihiro Ichinose, Mami Tamai, Hideki Nakamura, Hiroaki Ida, Tomoyuki Kakugawa, Noriho Sakamoto, Yuji Ishimatsu, Hiroshi Mukae, Yasuhito Hamaguchi, Manabu Fujimoto, Masataka Kuwana, Tomoki Origuchi, Shigeru Kohno, Atsushi Kawakami
• Journal: Modern rheumatology (Mod Rheumatol) Vol. 25 Issue 1 Pg. 85-9 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1439-7609 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24716595 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• Biomarkers
• Interferon-alpha
• Interleukin-18
• Ferritins
• IFIH1 protein, human
• DEAD-box RNA Helicases
• Interferon-Induced Helicase, IFIH1

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Autoantibodies (blood)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• DEAD-box RNA Helicases (immunology)
• Dermatomyositis (blood, diagnosis, immunology)
• Female
• Ferritins (blood)
• Humans
• Interferon-Induced Helicase, IFIH1
• Interferon-alpha (blood)
• Interleukin-18 (blood)
• Lung Diseases, Interstitial (blood, diagnosis, immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Young Adult