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Assessment of immunoglobulins free light chains in serum and urine of patients with system sclerosis: novel biomarkers for activity disease
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  • Antonietta Gigante,
  • Chiara Pellicano,
  • Giorgia Leodori,
  • Cecilia Napodano,
  • Lorenzo Vantaggio,
  • Francesca Gulli,
  • Mariapaola MARINO,
  • Marcella Visentini,
  • Edoardo Rosato,
  • Umberto Basile
Antonietta Gigante
Sapienza University of Rome

Corresponding Author:antonietta.gigante@uniroma1.it

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Chiara Pellicano
Sapienza University of Rome
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Giorgia Leodori
Sapienza University of Rome
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Cecilia Napodano
Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli
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Lorenzo Vantaggio
Sapienza University of Rome
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Francesca Gulli
Ospedale Generale di Zona Madre Giuseppina Vannini
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Mariapaola MARINO
Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
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Marcella Visentini
Universita degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Facolta di Medicina e Odontoiatria
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Edoardo Rosato
Sapienza University of Rome
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Umberto Basile
Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli
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Abstract

Free light chains (FLC), considered a biomarker of B cell activity, are frequently elevated in different systemic inflammatory-autoimmune diseases. As systemic sclerosis (SSc) clinical course may be variable, this study aimed to assess FLCs levels in serum and urine of affected individuals, as biomarkers of disease activity. We assessed FLC levels in serum and urine of 72 SSc patients and 30 healthy controls (HC). Results were analyzed in comparison with overall clinical and laboratory findings, disease activity index (DAI) and disease severity scale (DSS). SSc patients displayed increased levels of k and λ FLC in serum, significantly higher than HC (p=0.0001) alongside with the mean levels of free k/λ ratio and of the k+λ sum (p=0.0001). In addition, SSc patients had significant higher levels in the urine of free k and of k/λ ratio than HC (p=0.0001). SSc patients with increased k+λ sum in serum showed a statistically higher levels of erythro-sedimentation rate (p=0.034), C-reactive protein (p=0.003), higher DAI (p=0.024) and DSS (p=0.015) than SSc patients with normal levels of FLC. A positive linear correlation was found between serum levels of free k and DAI (r=0.29, p=0.014). SSc patients with increased free k in urine had statistically higher DAI (p=0.048) than SSc patients with normal level of free k. The significant increased levels of FLC correlated with disease activity in SSc patients. Our results strengthen the role of FLC as useful biomarkers in clinical practice to early diagnosis and monitor disease activity with an improvement of SSc patients’ management.
23 Feb 2021Submitted to Clinical & Experimental Immunology
23 Feb 2021Submission Checks Completed
23 Feb 2021Assigned to Editor
25 Feb 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
10 Mar 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Mar 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Major
20 Mar 20211st Revision Received
22 Mar 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
07 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Apr 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
11 Apr 20212nd Revision Received
11 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Apr 2021Editorial Decision: Accept