Open AccessC/EBP β mRNA expression is upregulated and positively correlated with the expression of TNIP1/TNFAIP3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Author(s) -
Tian Qian,
Yan Chen,
Xiaowei Shi,
Jian Li,
Hao Fei,
Dongmei Zhang
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
experimental and therapeutic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1792-1015
pISSN - 1792-0981
DOI - 10.3892/etm.2016.3612
Subject(s) - peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunology , downregulation and upregulation , anti dsdna antibodies , gene expression , ccaat enhancer binding proteins , oncogene , lupus erythematosus , medicine , antibody , biology , transcription factor , nuclear protein , gene , in vitro , cell cycle , cancer , biochemistry
CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBP β) has important roles in numerous signaling pathways. The expression of the majority of regulators and target gene products of C/EBP β, including tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3 ( TNFAIP3 ) and TNFAIP3-interacting protein 1 ( TNIP1 ), are upregulated in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether C / EBP β expression is associated with SLE pathogenesis and correlates with TNIP1 and TNFAIP3 expression. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to assess the expression of C / EBP β, TNIP1 , and TNFAIP3 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 20 patients with SLE and 20 healthy controls. Spearman's rank test was used to determine the correlation between C / EBP β expression and SLE disease activity, and that between C / EBP β expression and TNIP1 / TNFAIP3 expression in PBMCs from patients with SLE. C / EBP β mRNA expression was markedly increased in patients with SLE compared with healthy controls. The expression of C / EBP β was positively correlated with the SLE disease activity index and negatively correlated with the serum level of complement components C3 and C4. In addition, C/EBP β mRNA expression was increased in PBMCs from SLE patients that were positive for antinuclear, anti-Smith and anti-nRNP antibodies, compared with the antibody negative SLE patients. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of C / EBP β in patients with SLE was positively correlated with TNIP1 and TNFAIP3 expression. The results of the current study suggest that the increased expression of C / EBP β in PBMCs and the interaction between C / EBP β and TNIP1 / TNFAIP3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE.