Serum High-Mobility Group Box-1 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

In this study, we sought to investigate the expression of serum high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein in patients with pediatric Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in relation to the disease characteristics and activity in an attempt to evaluate its potential role as a biomarker of SLE activity. Serum HMGB1 level was significantly higher in SLE compared to the control group. Also, SLE patients with LN had significantly higher serum level of HMGB1 as compared to those without clinical or laboratory evidence of LN. The serum HMGB1 did not vary significantly with the histopathological classes of lupus nephritis. We found a significant negative correlation between serum HMGB1 level and serum complement 3 and a significant positive correlation with anti-dsDNA only in patients with LN. Also, in patients with biopsy proven LN it was positively correlated to serum creatinine and 24 hours urinary protein and negatively correlated to creatinine clearance. HMGB1 seems to be a reliable biomarker with a good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of SLE especially in the presence of LN. The comparable values of serum level of HMGB1 among different histopathological classes of LN needs to be verified on a wider scale studies and in relation to renal HMGB1 detected in renal biopsies. Keywords: Serum High-Mobility Group, Systemic, Lupus, Erythematosus, SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI)