• Yukchiu Chung, Zhi-Chang Li, Xiao-Lin Sun, Yan-Ying Liu, Miao Shao, Yu-Zhou Gan, Yi-Min Li, Yu-Hui Li, and Xue-Wu Zhang.
• Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Beijing Key Laboratory for Rheumatism and Immune Diagnosis (BZ0135), Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
• Chin. Med. J. 2021 Jul 15; 134 (21): 2583-2588.

BackgroundPsoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthropathy characterized by psoriasis and bone erosion on radiology. Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) is considered to be the main inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway and results in reduced osteoblast proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum level of Dkk-1 and its association with bone erosion in PsA patients.MethodsSerum Dkk-1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 69 patients with PsA and 60 controls, including 39 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and 21 healthy controls (HCs). Rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide levels were also determined by ELISA. The association of Dkk-1 level with clinical and laboratory features of PsA was analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for bone erosion in PsA.ResultsDkk-1 was elevated in 68.1% (47/69) of the patients with PsA, 46.2% (18/39) of RA patients, and 9.5% (2/21) of HCs. Serum Dkk-1 concentration was significantly higher in PsA patients compared with that in HCs. The level of serum Dkk-1 was correlated with a swollen joint count, and levels of complement components 3 and 4. Elevated Dkk-1 level (odds ratio = 4.440, 95% confidence interval: 1.246-15.817, P = 0.021) was identified as the risk factor for bone erosion in PsA.ConclusionsThe serum level of Dkk-1 is abnormally elevated in PsA patients. The elevation of Dkk-1 might be involved in the mechanism of bone erosion in patients with PsA.Copyright © 2021 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.

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