Abstract: Increased Serum Interleukin 23 in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

Increased Serum Interleukin 23 in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

KAZUHIRO KOMURA, MANABU FUJIMOTO, MINORU HASEGAWA, FUMIHIDE OGAWA, TOSHIHIDE HARA, EIJI MUROI, KAZUHIKO TAKEHARA, and SHINICHI SATO

ABSTRACT.

Objective. The relationship between systemic sclerosis (SSc) and interleukin 23 (IL-23), a cytokine associated with the differentiation of T lymphocytes, is unknown. We investigated serum IL-23 levels and their clinical association in patients with SSc.

Methods. Serum IL-23 levels were examined by ELISA in 63 patients with SSc, 15 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 31 healthy individuals. SSc patients comprised 25 with limited cutaneous SSc and 38 with diffuse cutaneous SSc.

Results. Serum IL-23 levels were significantly elevated in SSc patients compared to patients with SLE (p < 0.05) and controls (p < 0.005). Elevated serum IL-23 levels were associated with the disease duration (p < 0.05) and the prevalence of pulmonary fibrosis (p < 0.05), although they were not associated with other clinical features, including the extent of skin sclerosis or the severity of pulmonary fibrosis.

Conclusion. The results suggest that IL-23 is associated with induction of SSc and that blockade of IL-23 can be a potential therapeutic strategy in early SSc. (First Release Dec 15 2007; J Rheumatol 2008;35:120-5)

Key Indexing Terms:

SCLERODERMA
INTERLEUKINS
INTERLEUKIN 23
PULMONARY FIBROSIS

From the Department of Dermatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki; and the Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Japan.

K. Komura, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor; F. Ogawa, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor; T. Hara, MD, Assistant Professor; E. Muroi, MD; S. Sato, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Dermatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan; M. Fujimoto, MD, Associate Professor; M. Hasegawa, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor; K. Takehara, Professor, Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science.

Address reprint requests to Dr. M. Fujimoto, Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8641, Japan. E-mail: fujimoto-m@umin.ac.jp.

Accepted for publication September 30, 2007.