Complement Proteins L-Ficolin and M-Ficolin Are Increased in Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis and Decrease After Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Treatment

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Clara Elbæk Mistegaard
  • Anne Troldborg
  • Annette Hansen
  • Steffen Thiel
  • Anne Grethe Jurik
  • Rosa M. Kiil
  • Alice A. Christiansen
  • Berit Schiøttz-Christensen
  • Oliver Hendricks
  • Susanne Juhl Pedersen
  • Inge Juul Sørensen
  • Østergaard, Mikkel
  • Anne Gitte Loft

Objective. We have previously reported elevated levels of the complement lectin pathway proteins L-ficolin and H-ficolin in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) compared with healthy controls. The aim of the present study was to investigate these biomarkers in a cross-sectional cohort of patients suffering from low back pain (LBP). Further, we aimed to investigate changes in lectin pathway protein levels after initiation of adalimumab (ADA; a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor) in a longitudinal cohort of patients with axSpA. Methods. Lectin pathway protein levels (mannan-binding lectin [MBL], collectin liver 1, H-ficolin, L-ficolin, M-ficolin, MBL-associated serine protease [MASP]-1, MASP-2, MASP-3, MBL-associated protein 19 [MAp19], and MAp44) in EDTA plasma were determined in 2 well-characterized cohorts: (1) a clinical cross-sectional cohort of patients with LBP, including patients with axSpA (n = 23), patients with unspecific LBP (uLBP) with ≥ 1 SpA features (n = 55), and patients with uLBP without SpA features or magnetic resonance imaging findings suggestive of axSpA (n = 64); and (2) a randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial cohort of patients with axSpA (n = 49) initiating ADA therapy. Lectin pathway protein levels were determined using immunoassays. Results. Plasma levels of L-ficolin and M-ficolin were significantly increased in the cross-sectional cohort of newly diagnosed patients with axSpA compared with clinically relevant controls with uLBP (all P < 0.05). Both L-ficolin and M-ficolin decreased significantly after ADA therapy (P < 0.05). Conclusion. L-ficolin and M-ficolin levels are elevated in newly diagnosed patients with axSpA compared with clinically relevant controls. Both L-ficolin and M-ficolin levels decrease significantly after initiating ADA therapy. These findings provide new insights into the inflammatory processes in axSpA and support the involvement of complement in axSpA pathogenesis.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Rheumatology
Volume51
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)31-38
Number of pages8
ISSN0315-162X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Journal of Rheumatology.

    Research areas

  • axial spondyloarthritis, mannose-binding lectin complement pathway, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors

ID: 387938981