@article {Steimanjrheum.150040, author = {Amanda J. Steiman and Dafna D. Gladman and Dominique Iba{\~n}ez and Babak Noamani and Carolina Landolt-Marticorena and Murray B. Urowitz and Joan E. Wither}, title = {Lack of Interferon and Proinflammatory Cyto/chemokines in Serologically Active Clinically Quiescent Systemic Lupus Erythematosus}, elocation-id = {jrheum.150040}, year = {2015}, doi = {10.3899/jrheum.150040}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {Objective Serologically active clinically quiescent (SACQ) patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remain clinically quiescent for prolonged periods despite anti-dsDNA antibodies and/or low complements, indicating the presence of immune complexes. The immune mechanisms leading to this quiescence are unknown. However, in addition to activating complement, immune complex uptake by various cells leads to the production of interferon (IFN)-α and other proinflammatory factors that are also involved in tissue damage. Here we investigate whether production of these factors is reduced in SACQ patients. Methods The levels of 5 IFN-induced genes and 19 cyto/chemokines were measured in SACQ patients and were compared with those in serologically and clinically active (SACA) and serologically and clinically quiescent (SQCQ) patients. SACQ and SQCQ were defined as >= 2 years without clinical activity, with/without persistent serologic activity, respectively, and off corticosteroids/immunosuppressives. SACA was defined as disease activity compelling immunosuppression. Levels of OAS1, IFIT1, MX1, LY6E, and ISG15 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a composite score (IFN-5) derived from this. Plasma cyto/chemokines were measured by Luminex assay. Nonparametric univariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results There were no differences in gene expression or cyto/chemokine levels between SACQ and SQCQ patients. The SACQ IFN-5 score was significantly lower than that of SACA (p = 0.003) and was driven by SACQ status, not by autoantibody profile or disease duration. Levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin (IL) 6, IL-10, IFN-γ-inducible protein 10, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and tumor necrosis factor-α were significantly lower in SACQ than SACA. Conclusion The levels of proinflammatory factors in SACQ mirror those of SQCQ patients, indicating reduced production of these factors despite the presence of immune complexes.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2015/11/09/jrheum.150040}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2015/11/09/jrheum.150040.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }