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Plasma interferon-alpha protein levels during pregnancy are associated with lower birth weight in systemic lupus erythematosus

Stockfelt, Marit ; Torell, Agnes ; Gunnarsson, Iva ; Svenungsson, Elisabet ; Zickert, Agneta ; Sennstrom, Maria Majcuk ; Trysberg, Estelle ; Bengtsson, Anders A. LU ; Jonsen, Andreas LU and Strevens, Helena LU , et al. (2025) In Rheumatology 64(3). p.1469-1475
Abstract

Objectives: Adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common in women with SLE compared with healthy women, but we lack prognostic biomarkers. Plasma IFN-α protein levels are elevated in a subgroup of pregnant women with SLE, but whether this is associated with pregnancy outcomes is unknown. We investigated the relationship between IFN-α, adverse pregnancy outcomes and the presence of autoantibodies in SLE pregnancy. Methods: We followed 76 women with SLE prospectively. Protein levels of IFN-α were quantified in plasma collected in the second and third trimester with single-molecule array. Positivity for ANA and aPL antibodies was assessed during late pregnancy with multiplexed bead assay. Clinical outcomes included the adverse pregnancy... (More)

Objectives: Adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common in women with SLE compared with healthy women, but we lack prognostic biomarkers. Plasma IFN-α protein levels are elevated in a subgroup of pregnant women with SLE, but whether this is associated with pregnancy outcomes is unknown. We investigated the relationship between IFN-α, adverse pregnancy outcomes and the presence of autoantibodies in SLE pregnancy. Methods: We followed 76 women with SLE prospectively. Protein levels of IFN-α were quantified in plasma collected in the second and third trimester with single-molecule array. Positivity for ANA and aPL antibodies was assessed during late pregnancy with multiplexed bead assay. Clinical outcomes included the adverse pregnancy outcomes small for gestational age (SGA), preterm birth and preeclampsia. Results: During SLE pregnancy, women with SGA infants compared with those without had higher levels of plasma IFN-α protein, and IFN-α positivity was associated with lower birth weight of the infant. Preterm birth was associated with autoantibodies against chromatin. IFN-α protein levels associated positively with autoantibodies against chromatin, Smith/RNP (SmRNP) and RNP, but negatively with aPL antibodies. Conclusion: Elevated IFN-α protein in plasma of women with SLE is a potential risk factor for lower birth weight of their infants. The association between IFN-α and lower birth weight warrants further investigation regarding the pathophysiological role of IFN-α during SLE pregnancy.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
adverse pregnancy outcomes, autoantibodies, IFNα protein, systemic lupus erythematosus
in
Rheumatology
volume
64
issue
3
pages
7 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:86000139203
  • pmid:38876981
ISSN
1462-0324
DOI
10.1093/rheumatology/keae332
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b14e8d04-9c7f-4ddd-b232-14cf779dbaaf
date added to LUP
2025-06-24 11:05:48
date last changed
2025-07-08 13:21:36
@article{b14e8d04-9c7f-4ddd-b232-14cf779dbaaf,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: Adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common in women with SLE compared with healthy women, but we lack prognostic biomarkers. Plasma IFN-α protein levels are elevated in a subgroup of pregnant women with SLE, but whether this is associated with pregnancy outcomes is unknown. We investigated the relationship between IFN-α, adverse pregnancy outcomes and the presence of autoantibodies in SLE pregnancy. Methods: We followed 76 women with SLE prospectively. Protein levels of IFN-α were quantified in plasma collected in the second and third trimester with single-molecule array. Positivity for ANA and aPL antibodies was assessed during late pregnancy with multiplexed bead assay. Clinical outcomes included the adverse pregnancy outcomes small for gestational age (SGA), preterm birth and preeclampsia. Results: During SLE pregnancy, women with SGA infants compared with those without had higher levels of plasma IFN-α protein, and IFN-α positivity was associated with lower birth weight of the infant. Preterm birth was associated with autoantibodies against chromatin. IFN-α protein levels associated positively with autoantibodies against chromatin, Smith/RNP (SmRNP) and RNP, but negatively with aPL antibodies. Conclusion: Elevated IFN-α protein in plasma of women with SLE is a potential risk factor for lower birth weight of their infants. The association between IFN-α and lower birth weight warrants further investigation regarding the pathophysiological role of IFN-α during SLE pregnancy.</p>}},
  author       = {{Stockfelt, Marit and Torell, Agnes and Gunnarsson, Iva and Svenungsson, Elisabet and Zickert, Agneta and Sennstrom, Maria Majcuk and Trysberg, Estelle and Bengtsson, Anders A. and Jonsen, Andreas and Strevens, Helena and Sjowall, Christopher and Saleh, Muna and Pihl, Sofia and Leonard, Dag and Ronnblom, Lars and Akhter, Tansim and Blennow, Kaj and Zetterberg, Henrik and Jacobsson, Bo and Lundell, Anna Carin and Rudin, Anna}},
  issn         = {{1462-0324}},
  keywords     = {{adverse pregnancy outcomes; autoantibodies; IFNα protein; systemic lupus erythematosus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{1469--1475}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Rheumatology}},
  title        = {{Plasma interferon-alpha protein levels during pregnancy are associated with lower birth weight in systemic lupus erythematosus}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keae332}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/rheumatology/keae332}},
  volume       = {{64}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}