RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Mannose-binding Lectin Expression Genotype in Pediatric-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Associations with Susceptibility to Renal Disease and Protection Against Infections
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 1429
OP 1435
DO 10.3899/jrheum.100961
VO 38
IS 7
A1 YI-CHAN TSAI
A1 KOU-WEI YEH
A1 TSUNG-CHIEH YAO
A1 YU-LIN HUANG
A1 MING-LING KUO
A1 JING-LONG HUANG
YR 2011
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/38/7/1429.abstract
AB Objective. To study possible associations between extended mannose-binding lectin (MBL) expression genotypes and clinical manifestations and infections in children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods. Clinical and laboratory variables for a cohort of 125 patients with pediatric-onset SLE were obtained by clinical examinations and chart reviews. Controls were 137 age-matched and sex-matched healthy children and adolescents. MBL gene polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction. Serum MBL concentrations were measured by ELISA. Results. The frequencies of extended MBL expression genotypes did not differ between patients and controls. There were 82 patients with SLE who had high MBL expression genotypes and 43 who had medium and low MBL expression genotypes. Patients with the high MBL expression genotype had renal disorders more frequently than patients in the group with medium and low MBL expression genotypes [54/82 (65.9%) vs 18/43 (41.9%), respectively; p = 0.013] and fewer serious bacterial infections [22/82 (26.8%) vs 20/43 (46.5%); p = 0.030]. Using logistic regression for patients with SLE, a high MBL expression genotype was independently associated with renal disorders (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.15–5.39, p = 0.021) and had a protective effect against serious bacterial infections (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.12–0.71, p = 0.007). MBL levels decreased significantly when patients with active SLE reached an inactive stage (1.56 ± 0.55 μg/ml vs 1.08 ± 0.65 μg/ml; p = 0.001), but these levels were still higher than those in controls. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that a high MBL expression genotype is a risk factor for renal disorder, while it has a protective effect against infections. Serum MBL levels reflect SLE activity.