Urinary B cell activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL): potential biomarkers of active lupus nephritis

• DOI: 10.1111/cei.12894
• Publication Date: 2016-11-10T10:17:01Z
• Authors: S Phatak; S Chaurasia; S K Mishra; R Gupta; V Agrawal; A Aggarwal; R Misra
• Keywords: Nephritis

Summary B cell activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) help in activation, maintenance plasma survival. infiltration has been demonstrated kidneys of patients with lupus nephritis (LN). Serum levels BAFF APRIL have shown inconsistent relationships disease activity. We evaluated urinary as biomarker for LN. Thirty-six proliferative (AN), 10 active without (AL) 15 healthy controls (HC) were studied. measured both serum urine using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Urine normalized creatinine excretion. correlated conventional activity markers histology. Levels reassessed 20 AN at 6 months after treatment cyclophosphamide. Urinary (uAPRIL) (uBAFF) raised significantly AN. uAPRIL, but not uBAFF, moderately renal Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) (r = 0·36, P < 0·05). On receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis, uBAFF uAPRIL showed an area under the (AUC) 0·825 0·781, respectively, differentiating between non-nephritis, which performed better than low C3, C4 anti-dsDNA antibodies. There was no correlation 0·187, 0·261) 0·114, 0·494). reduced (mean 125 pg/mg to 36 pg/mg, 16 responders while two four non-responders had increase levels. Thus, are potential biomarkers nephritis.