Table 2.
IFNλs in autoimmune rheumatic diseases
| Disease | Expression in blood | Expression in tissue | Disease activity | Antibodies | Inflammatory markers | Associated disease manifestations | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SLE | Increased IFNλ1 and IFNλ3; increased IFNL1 mRNA (PBMCs); increased IFNL2 and INFL3 mRNA (CD4+ T cells) | Increased IFNλs in skin and kidneys | Not associated with SLAM; contradictory results for SLEDAI and SDI | Associated with anti-nucleosome antibodies; not associated with ANAs; contradictory results for anti-dsDNA antibodies | Associated with a decrease in complement proteins C3 and C4; not associated with ESR; contradictory results for CRP | Arthritis, nephritis, serositis and skin involvement | 63–72 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Increased IFNλ1 and IFNλ2; increased IFNL1 mRNA (PBMCs) | Increased IFNλ1 in synovial fluid | Contradictory results for DAS28 | Associated with anti-MCV antibodies; contradictory results for RF and ACPAs | No association with CRP or ESR | Knee joint involvement | 86–89 |
| Primary Sjögren syndrome | Increased IFNλ1 | Increased IFNλ1 in minor salivary glands | ND | ND | ND | Exocrine gland involvement | 94,95 |
| Systemic sclerosis | Increased IFNλ1 and IFNλ3 | ND | ND | ND | ND | Myositis and pulmonary fibrosis | 96,97 |
ACPA, anti-citrullinated protein antibody; ANA, antinuclear antibody; CRP, C-reactive protein; DAS28, 28-joint Disease Activity Score; dsDNA, double-stranded DNA; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; MCV, mutated citrullinated vimentin; ND, not determined; PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cell; RF, rheumatoid factor; SDI, SLICC Damage Index; SLAM, Systemic Lupus Activity Measure; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI, SLE Disease Activity Index.