IFNα and Galectin-9 as Emerging Predictors of Disease Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32792/utq/utjsci/v13i1.1471Keywords:
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); Disease activity ; BiomarkersAbstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease marked by the loss of immune tolerance to nuclear antigens, predominantly affecting women of reproductive age. The present study aims to assess disease activity in SLE patients and serum concentrations of chemokine (IFNα, Galectin-9) in relation to disease severity. A case-control study was conducted on 100 SLE patients and 25 healthy controls between January 7 and April 5, 2025. Serum IFNα, Galectin-9 levels were measured using a sandwich ELISA. Interferon-alpha levels were significantly higher in SLE patients than in controls (p < 0.001), with severe cases showed the highest values (354.8±159.7pg/ml) was elevated in active SLE, with severe cases demonstrated the highest levels compared to mild–moderate disease (4.8±1.2 ng/ml , p < 0.01). Clinical manifestations according to SLEDAI revealed that mucocutaneous involvement (54%), musculoskeletal (48%), hematologic (42%), and renal involvement (38%). indicating that chemokine upregulation reflects both systemic immune activation and specific organ involvement. Increased serum levels of IFNα, Galectin-9, especially in severe SLE, underscore their potential role as reliable biomarkers. Their Strong correlation with SLEDAI supports their role in assessing disease activity and monitoring progression.
Received: 29-08-2025
Revised: 11-10-2025
Accepted: 18-10-2025
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