Galectin-9 is an easy to measure biomarker for the interferon signature in systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 77; no. 12; pp. 1810 - 1814
• Main Authors: van den Hoogen, Lucas L, van Roon, Joël A G, Mertens, Jorre S, Wienke, Judith, Lopes, Ana Pinheiro, de Jager, Wilco, Rossato, Marzia, Pandit, Aridaman, Wichers, Catharina G K, van Wijk, Femke, Fritsch-Stork, Ruth D E, Radstake, Timothy R D J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-DNA antibodies; Anticoagulants; Antiphospholipid syndrome; Antiphospholipid Syndrome - blood; Antiphospholipid Syndrome - immunology; Arthritis; Autoimmune diseases; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Clinical medicine; Complement component C3; Complement component C4; Congenital diseases; Disease; Female; Galectin-9; Galectins - blood; Gene expression; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Interferon; Interferons - analysis; IP-10 protein; Lupus; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - blood; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Proteins; Rheumatology; Serum levels; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Therapeutic applications; Thrombosis; Tissue factor; TNF inhibitors; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor necrosis factor receptors; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumors; Vascular diseases; antiphospholipid syndrome; interferon signature; systemic lupus erythematosus; biomarker; galectin-9
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213497

ObjectiveThe interferon (IFN) signature is related to disease activity and vascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and represents a promising therapeutic target. Quantification of the IFN signature is currently performed by gene expression analysis, limiting its current applicability in clinical practice. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish an easy to measure biomarker for the IFN signature.MethodsSerum levels of galectin-9, CXCL-10 (IP-10) and tumour necrosis factor receptor type II (TNF-RII) were measured in patients with SLE, SLE+APS and primary APS (PAPS) and healthy controls (n=148) after an initial screening of serum analytes in a smaller cohort (n=43). Analytes were correlated to measures of disease activity and the IFN signature. The performance of galectin-9, CXCL-10 and TNF-RII as biomarkers to detect the IFN signature was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curves.ResultsGalectin-9, CXCL-10 and TNF-RII were elevated in patients with SLE, SLE+APS and PAPS (p<0.05) and correlated with disease activity and tissue factor expression. Galectin-9 correlated stronger than CXCL-10 or TNF-RII with the IFN score (r=0.70, p<0.001) and was superior to CXCL-10 or TNF-RII in detecting the IFN signature (area under the curve (AUC) 0.86). Importantly, in patients with SLE(±APS), galectin-9 was also superior to anti-dsDNA antibody (AUC 0.70), or complement C3 (AUC 0.70) and C4 (AUC 0.78) levels in detecting the IFN signature.ConclusionGalectin-9 is a novel, easy to measure hence clinically applicable biomarker to detect the IFN signature in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases such as SLE and APS.