Ultrasensitive serum levels of interleukin 13 in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a cross-sectional study.
11 affiliations
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of La Laguna (ULL), Tenerife, Spain. [email protected].
- 2Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Santander, Tenerife, Spain. [email protected].
- 3Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Canarias (IISC), Tenerife, Spain. [email protected].
- 4Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Canarias (IISC), Tenerife, Spain.
- 5Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Doctor Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
- 6Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Insular, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
- 7Department of Immunology, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
- 8Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Santander, Spain.
- 9Division of Rheumatology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain.
- 10Division of Rheumatology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain. [email protected].
- 11Department of Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by elevated levels of various cytokines. Interleukin (IL)-13 is a pleiotropic type 2 cytokine that plays a central role in allergic inflammation and tissue fibrosis. Until recently, serum measurement of IL-13 was not feasible because of its extremely low concentration. New highly sensitive techniques now allow its quantification at the femtogram level. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between SLE-disease characteristics and ultrasensitive serum IL-13 levels.Methods
In this cross-sectional study, a comprehensive characterization of 313 patients with SLE was performed, including autoantibody profiles and indices of disease activity (SLE-DAS, SLEDAI-2 K, and LLDAS), damage (SLICC-DI), and remission (DORIS). In addition, the cohort was evaluated with complete hematological and lipid profiles, insulin resistance indices, and assessment of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis and carotid stiffness. Serum IL-13 levels were measured using the Simoa (Single Molecule Array) technique. Multivariable linear regression analyses were then conducted to examine the associations between these disease characteristics and circulating IL-13.Results
In multivariable regression analyses demographic features, disease activity indices (SLEDAI-2 K, SLE-DAS, DORIS), damage scores, overall disease duration, autoantibodies and interferon or complement levels were not associated with IL-13. However, in the adjusted models, neutrophil and platelet counts showed an inverse association with IL-13. It was also the case for metabolic factors, as higher levels of HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 were independently associated with lower IL-13 levels, while a higher LDL: HDL ratio, a higher ApoB: ApoA1 ratio, and a higher atherogenic index were associated with superior IL-13 levels. In contrast, augmentation index was inversely and independently associated with IL-13.Conclusions
Serum IL-13 levels are not associated with key SLE-related features such as disease activity or the autoantibodies profile. Since IL-13 was associated with an adverse lipid profile, its inverse relationship with augmentation index suggests that its cardiovascular effects may be at least partially independent of circulating lipids. These apparently divergent associations likely reflect distinct but interconnected pathways through which IL-13 influences cardiovascular risk in SLE.
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BibTeX
@article{ferrazamaro2026ultrasensitive,
title = {{Ultrasensitive serum levels of interleukin 13 in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a cross-sectional study.}},
author = {Iván Ferraz-Amaro and Juan Carlos Quevedo-Abeledo and Beatriz Tejera-Segura and Enrique García-Barrera and Luisa María Villar and Javier Gonzalo Ocejo-Vinyals and Raquel Largo and Miguel Ángel González-Gay},
journal = {BMC rheumatology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1186/s41927-026-00694-0},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897698},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ultrasensitive serum levels of interleukin 13 in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a cross-sectional study.
AU - Iván Ferraz-Amaro
AU - Juan Carlos Quevedo-Abeledo
AU - Beatriz Tejera-Segura
AU - Enrique García-Barrera
AU - Luisa María Villar
AU - Javier Gonzalo Ocejo-Vinyals
AU - Raquel Largo
AU - Miguel Ángel González-Gay
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - BMC rheumatology
DO - 10.1186/s41927-026-00694-0
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897698
AB - Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by elevated levels of various cytokines. Interleukin (IL)-13 is a pleiotropic type 2 cytokine that plays a central role in allergic inflammation and tissue fibrosis. Until recently, serum measurement of IL-13 was not feasible because of its extremely low concentration. New highly sensitive techniques now allow its quantification at the femtogram level. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between SLE-disease characteristics and ultrasensitive serum IL-13 levels.Methods In this cross-sectional study, a comprehensive characterization of 313 patients with SLE was performed, including autoantibody profiles and indices of disease activity (SLE-DAS, SLEDAI-2 K, and LLDAS), damage (SLICC-DI), and remission (DORIS). In addition, the cohort was evaluated with complete hematological and lipid profiles, insulin resistance indices, and assessment of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis and carotid stiffness. Serum IL-13 levels were measured using the Simoa (Single Molecule Array) technique. Multivariable linear regression analyses were then conducted to examine the associations between these disease characteristics and circulating IL-13.Results In multivariable regression analyses demographic features, disease activity indices (SLEDAI-2 K, SLE-DAS, DORIS), damage scores, overall disease duration, autoantibodies and interferon or complement levels were not associated with IL-13. However, in the adjusted models, neutrophil and platelet counts showed an inverse association with IL-13. It was also the case for metabolic factors, as higher levels of HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 were independently associated with lower IL-13 levels, while a higher LDL: HDL ratio, a higher ApoB: ApoA1 ratio, and a higher atherogenic index were associated with superior IL-13 levels. In contrast, augmentation index was inversely and independently associated with IL-13.Conclusions Serum IL-13 levels are not associated with key SLE-related features such as disease activity or the autoantibodies profile. Since IL-13 was associated with an adverse lipid profile, its inverse relationship with augmentation index suggests that its cardiovascular effects may be at least partially independent of circulating lipids. These apparently divergent associations likely reflect distinct but interconnected pathways through which IL-13 influences cardiovascular risk in SLE.
SN - 2520-1026
ER -