• Taejun Yoon, Jang Woo Ha, Eunhee Ko, Jason Jungsik Song, Yong-Beom Park, Sung Soo Ahn, and Sang-Won Lee.
• Department of Medical Science, BK2 Plus Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
• Yonsei Med. J. 2023 Oct 1; 64 (10): 604611604-611.

PurposeThe present study investigated and compared the antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) activity-predicting ability of the serum concentrations of the four interleukin (IL)-12 family cytokines including IL-23, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-39 in patients with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).Materials And MethodsThe present study included 70 patients with MPA and GPA. Clinical and laboratory data, particularly Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS), at the time of blood collection were obtained. The serum concentrations of IL-23, IL-27, IL-35, and IL-37 were measured using sera stored at -80℃. Patients were divided into two groups: the upper half of BVAS (BVAS ≥12) and the lower half of BVAS (BVAS <12).ResultsThe serum concentrations of IL-23 and IL-27 reflected AAV activity. Patients with the upper half of BVAS exhibited significantly higher serum concentrations of IL-23 and IL-27 than those without. Patients with the serum concentrations of IL-23 ≥132.1 pg/mL or IL-27 ≥684.7 pg/mL exhibited higher frequency and risk for the upper half of BVAS than those without [relative risks (RR) 5.143 and RR 4.091, respectively]. The serum concentrations of IL-27 were associated with age ≥65 years and proteinase 3-ANCA (or C-ANCA) negativity, whereas, those of IL-23 were associated with MPA. However, the serum concentrations of IL-35 and IL-39 were not useful in predicting AAV activity in this study.ConclusionThe present study is the first to demonstrate that among the various members of IL-12 family cytokines, the serum concentrations of IL-23 and IL-27 possess AAV activity-predicting ability.© Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2023.

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