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CCL21 as a Potential Serum Biomarker for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis

Hoffmann-Vold, Anna Maria ; Hesselstrand, Roger LU ; Fretheim, Håvard ; Ueland, Thor ; Andreassen, Arne K. ; Brunborg, Cathrine ; Palchevskiy, Vyacheslav ; Midtvedt, Øyvind ; Garen, Torhild and Aukrust, Pål , et al. (2018) In Arthritis and Rheumatology 70(10). p.1644-1653
Abstract

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a major cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Murine models indicate key roles for chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and their receptor CCR7 in lung inflammation leading to PAH. The objective of this study was to assess the chemokine CCL19–CCL21 axis in patients with SSc-related PAH. Methods: Serum samples obtained from 2 independent prospective SSc cohorts (n = 326), patients with idiopathic PAH (n = 12), and healthy control subjects (n = 100) were analyzed for CCL19/CCL21 levels, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels were defined as either high or low, using the mean + 2 SD value in controls as the cutoff value. Risk stratification at the time of PAH diagnosis and PAH-related events... (More)

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a major cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Murine models indicate key roles for chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and their receptor CCR7 in lung inflammation leading to PAH. The objective of this study was to assess the chemokine CCL19–CCL21 axis in patients with SSc-related PAH. Methods: Serum samples obtained from 2 independent prospective SSc cohorts (n = 326), patients with idiopathic PAH (n = 12), and healthy control subjects (n = 100) were analyzed for CCL19/CCL21 levels, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels were defined as either high or low, using the mean + 2 SD value in controls as the cutoff value. Risk stratification at the time of PAH diagnosis and PAH-related events were performed. Descriptive and Cox regression analyses were conducted. Results: CCL21 levels were higher in patients with SSc compared with controls and were elevated prior to the diagnosis of PAH. PAH was more frequent in patients with high CCL21 levels (≥0.4 ng/ml) than in those with low CCL21 levels (33.3% versus 5.3% [P < 0.001]). In multivariate analyses, CCL21 was associated with PAH (hazard ratio [HR] 5.1, 95% CI 2.39–10.76 [P < 0.001]) and occurrence of PAH-related events (HR 4.7, 95% CI 2.12–10.46, P < 0.001). Risk stratification at the time of PAH diagnosis alone did not predict PAH-related events. However, when risk at diagnosis was combined with high or low CCL21 level, there was a significant predictive effect (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.03–1.60 [P = 0.027]). A high CCL21 level was associated with decreased survival (P < 0.001). Conclusion: CCL21 appears to be a promising marker for predicting the risk of SSc-related PAH and PAH progression. CCL21 may be part of a dysregulated immune pathway linked to the development of lung vascular damage in SSc.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Arthritis and Rheumatology
volume
70
issue
10
pages
1644 - 1653
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85052815808
  • pmid:29687634
ISSN
2326-5191
DOI
10.1002/art.40534
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8b5129fb-e37b-416b-8011-d443d542f289
date added to LUP
2018-10-05 08:40:24
date last changed
2024-04-01 11:25:09
@article{8b5129fb-e37b-416b-8011-d443d542f289,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a major cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Murine models indicate key roles for chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and their receptor CCR7 in lung inflammation leading to PAH. The objective of this study was to assess the chemokine CCL19–CCL21 axis in patients with SSc-related PAH. Methods: Serum samples obtained from 2 independent prospective SSc cohorts (n = 326), patients with idiopathic PAH (n = 12), and healthy control subjects (n = 100) were analyzed for CCL19/CCL21 levels, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels were defined as either high or low, using the mean + 2 SD value in controls as the cutoff value. Risk stratification at the time of PAH diagnosis and PAH-related events were performed. Descriptive and Cox regression analyses were conducted. Results: CCL21 levels were higher in patients with SSc compared with controls and were elevated prior to the diagnosis of PAH. PAH was more frequent in patients with high CCL21 levels (≥0.4 ng/ml) than in those with low CCL21 levels (33.3% versus 5.3% [P &lt; 0.001]). In multivariate analyses, CCL21 was associated with PAH (hazard ratio [HR] 5.1, 95% CI 2.39–10.76 [P &lt; 0.001]) and occurrence of PAH-related events (HR 4.7, 95% CI 2.12–10.46, P &lt; 0.001). Risk stratification at the time of PAH diagnosis alone did not predict PAH-related events. However, when risk at diagnosis was combined with high or low CCL21 level, there was a significant predictive effect (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.03–1.60 [P = 0.027]). A high CCL21 level was associated with decreased survival (P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: CCL21 appears to be a promising marker for predicting the risk of SSc-related PAH and PAH progression. CCL21 may be part of a dysregulated immune pathway linked to the development of lung vascular damage in SSc.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hoffmann-Vold, Anna Maria and Hesselstrand, Roger and Fretheim, Håvard and Ueland, Thor and Andreassen, Arne K. and Brunborg, Cathrine and Palchevskiy, Vyacheslav and Midtvedt, Øyvind and Garen, Torhild and Aukrust, Pål and Belperio, John A. and Molberg, Øyvind}},
  issn         = {{2326-5191}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1644--1653}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Arthritis and Rheumatology}},
  title        = {{CCL21 as a Potential Serum Biomarker for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/art.40534}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/art.40534}},
  volume       = {{70}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}