Arthritis research & therapy
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Nov 2012
APRIL, a proliferation-inducing ligand, as a potential marker of lupus nephritis.
BLyS and APRIL are cytokines from the tumor necrosis factor family which play an important role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Previous works suggested an association between both molecules and SLE disease activity although their correlation with lupus nephritis is not known. We therefore assessed serum BLyS and APRIL in active lupus nephritis patients. ⋯ APRIL could be a potential biomarker for predicting difficult-to-treat cases of lupus nephritis.