2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

The abnormality of B cell and BAFF associated with monocytes in patients with sarcoidosis

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23791296
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Dermatology
Research Institution	Kansai Medical University
Principal Investigator	UEDA Ikuko 関西医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (80452100)
Project Period (FY)	2011-04-28 – 2013-03-31
Keywords	サルコイドーシス / BAFF / B細胞 / 単球
Research Abstract	The purpose of this study was to determine serum levels of B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) and its clinical association in patients with sarcoidosis. Serum BAFF levels were significantly elevated in sarcoidosis patients when compared to healthy controls. The frequencies of skin and eye involvement were significantly higher in patients with elevated serum BAFF than in those patients with normal levels. Serum BAFF levels were correlated with serum levels of ACE, lysozyme, and IFN-gamma. Immunostaining of anti-BAFF in the skin revealed BAFF expression by epithelioid cells of granuloma. In vitro, IFN-gamma induced membrane-bound BAFF expression on monocytes and secretion of soluble BAFF by isolated monocytes. In conclusion, serum BAFF levels can be used as a surrogate marker of disease activity in sarcoidosis patients. Increased BAFF may be related to the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

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