LEVELS OF SOLUBLE FAS APO-1/CD95 IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS AND JUVENILE RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS/

Objective. To quantify soluble Fas/APO-1 (sFas/ APO-1) protein in the serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Methods. Soluble Fas/APO-1 was quantified using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Disease activity in SLE patients was assessed by the SLE Disease Activity Index. Result s. Increased serum sFas/APO-1 levels were observed in only 1 of the 27 SLE patients (4%) and 3 of the 10 JRA patients (30%). Conclusion. Inc reased levels of sFas/APO-1 occurred infrequently in SLE, and the leve ls were lower than 10 ng/ml. Increased levels of sFas/APO-1 are not sp ecific for SLE. Soluble Fas/APO-1 is unlikely to be of major pathogene tic significance in SLE.