Lead researcher
Dr. Ina Rudloff and Mr. Jack Godsell
Main finding
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a very severe, potentially fatal autoimmune disease that is characterised by excessive inflammation and can affect every organ. Up to now, neither a reliable biomarker to predict disease progression nor an effective and safe therapy exist. We investigated two very potent anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-37, in the largest cohort of SLE patients studied to date and found a strong association of IL-10, but not IL-37, with SLE disease activity.
Centre
The Ritchie Centre
Research group
Interventional Immunology in Neonatal Diseases and Beyond (TRC) and Rheumatology Group (CID at SCS)
Journal and article title
Most surprising
IL-10 serum concentration is not only associated with disease activity, but is also higher in patients of Asian ethnicity and is associated with complications such as renal involvement. Moreover, IL-10 serum concentration is predictive of subsequent SLE disease severity.
Future implications
Our data suggest that IL-10 may have potential as a biomarker predictive of disease activity in SLE which may help clinicians in the future to decide which patients are likely to develop a more severe form of SLE and thus need more intensive treatment.
Disease/health impact
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
