Analysis of interleukin-6, interleukin-10 and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) production by peripheral blood cells from patients with systemic lupuserythematosus identifies LIF as a potential marker of disease activity

The objective of this study was to determine the extent of interleukin (IL, )-6, -10 and/or LIF involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Spec ific ELISA were used to measure cytokines in the supernatants of 48 hours c ultures of whole blood stimulated or not by lipopolysaccharide and phytohem agglutinin, from controls (n = 10) or SLE patients divided according to the median of the SLE activity measurements (SLAM): < 9, group 1 (n = 11), and greater than or equal to 9, group 2 (n = 10), Comparing median basal and s timulated cytokine concentrations from patients and controls, IL-6 was sign ificantly higher in all SLE patients, IL-10 was significantly higher in bot h non- and stimulated situations only for SLE group 1 patients. With regard to LIF, it was significantly enhanced only in stimulated cultures of whole blood from group 2 patients as compared to control subjects. In conclusion , the production of cytokines involved in B-cell regulation and inflammatio n was altered in SLE, and LIF appears to be a potential marker of disease a ctivity.