Assessment of Serum Semaphorin-3A Level in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients in Suez Canal Region

Abstract

Background: Semaphorin-3A (Sema-3A) is an important immunoregulator protein; it has a role in the maintenance of self-tolerance, so it is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The purpose of the study is to assess the possible role of serum Sema-3A level as a potential biomarker for disease activity in patients with SLE and its relation with lupus nephritis. Patients and Methods: We recruited fifty SLE patients and 25 healthy controls. According to the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI), patients were divided into two groups; active SLE (n = 25) and inactive SLE (n = 25). Sema-3A level was assessed in the study groups using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Laboratory work included antinuclear antibodies, anti-ds-DNA, C3, C4, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Results: Serum Sema-3A level was significantly lower among SLE patients compared to healthy controls (18.14 ± 5.77 vs. 65.72 ± 38.08, P < 0.001). Moreover, it was lower among active SLE group compared to inactive group (14.96 ± 4.27 vs. 21.32 ± 5.17, P < 0.001). Serum level of Sema-3A negatively correlated with SLEDAI (P ≤ 0.001) and ESR (P = 0.006) where it was correlated positively with C3 (P ≤ 0.001) and C4 (P = 0.017). Conclusion: SLE activity is associated with decreased serum level of Sema-3A, thus it is suggested that Sema-3A is a candidate to become a useful marker for SLE disease activity.

Keywords

• autoimmune disease
• semaphorin-3a
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index