MTR 2756 A > G polymorphism is associated with the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus in the Polish population.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by overexpression of cytokines and T cell accessory molecules, which is due to a reduction of DNA regulatory region methylation in T cells. It has been shown that polymorphic variants of genes encoding key enzymes of folate and methionine metabolism may have an effect on DNA methylation. Therefore, in patients with SLE (n = 106) and controls (n = 141) we examined the distribution of polymorphisms of genes encoding methionine synthase (MTR); 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase and 10-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFD1); and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR).

Flow cytometric analysis of CD4+ T cell receptor zeta chain deficiency in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Purpose: It has been reported that a dysfunction of T lymphocytes can be responsible for alteration in immune system in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Material And Methods: Using flow cytometric analysis, we determined the abnormalities of T cell receptor zeta (TCR zeta) chain contents in CD4+ T cells of SLE patients.

Results: We observed a decrease in mean fluorescence intensity of TCR zeta in CD4+ T cells of patients with SLE.

Prevalence of Fc-gammaR chain expression in CD4+ T cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To determine the upregulation of transcript and protein levels of the T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3-Fc-gammaR chain in CD4+ T cells of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with different clinical disease activity scored on the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scale.

Methods: CD4+ cells were isolated by the positive biomagnetic separation technique. Quantitative analysis of Fc-gammaR cDNA was carried out by using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) SYBR Green I system.

Expression of human endogenous retrovirus clone 4-1 may correlate with blood plasma concentration of anti-U1 RNP and anti-Sm nuclear antibodies.

The transcription of human endogenous retrovirus E (HERV-E) clone 4-1 was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the contribution of HERV-E clone 4-1 expression in the development of SLE remains unclear. Blood plasma and PBMC from 55 patients with SLE and a control group of 35 healthy individuals were collected.