Elevated serum level of growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) in systemic lupus erythematosus patients is associated with nephritis and cutaneous vasculitis

Rheumatol Int. 2014 May;34(5):625-9. doi: 10.1007/s00296-013-2882-1. Epub 2013 Nov 1.

Abstract

Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) is a serum protein involved in granulocyte, platelet and endothelium interaction, and is implicated in both anti-inflammatory response as well as platelet/leukocytes activation. We investigated serum Gas6 level in different clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Data were collected in 83 patients with SLE and 40 non-lupus controls. The Gas6 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our results demonstrated that the Gas6 level was higher in SLE patients as compared to the non-lupus control subjects (SLE vs. non-lupus control, median [inter-quartile range (IQR)] 22.67 [19.40-28.60] vs. 18.97 [16.05-20.62] ng/mL, p < 0.01). Furthermore, Gas6 level was higher in patients with nephritis (nephritis vs. non-nephritis, median [IQR] 26.21 [21.17-31.61] vs. 22.22 [18.98-26.98] ng/mL, p = 0.03) and in patients with cutaneous vasculitis (vasculitis vs. non-vasculitis, median [IQR] 27.89 [23.24-34.26] vs. 22.30 [19.32-27.16] ng/mL, p = 0.03). Our results indicate that the serum Gas6 level is increased in SLE patients with lupus nephritis or cutaneous vasculitis, implicating a potential to serve as a SLE disease activity marker.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / blood*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / blood*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / diagnosis
  • Lupus Nephritis / blood*
  • Lupus Nephritis / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Up-Regulation
  • Vasculitis / blood*
  • Vasculitis / diagnosis

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • growth arrest-specific protein 6