High-Dose Dexamethasone Inhibits BAFF Expression in Patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia

Abstract

These results suggest that BAFF expression is increased in ITP patients with active disease, and DXM is an effective inhibitor of BAFF production. As immunosuppressant, DXM may play its role in ITP treatment partly through regulating BAFF expression.

B-cell-activating factor, a proliferation inducing ligand and co-stimulatory molecules in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia in childhood

“…Similarly, BAFF levels in systemic lupus eythematosus (SLE) patients were found to be markedly reduced with steroid therapy [13,31]. Invitro BAFF and BAFF mRNA levels were found to be markedly reduced with high-dose dexamethasone therapy in another study with cell cultures in ITP patients [30]. In our study, posttreatment (with either IVIG or steroid) BAFF levels were found to be decreased.…”

“…In this study, high levels of BAFF declined in the second week of the treatment with highdose dexamethasone [30]. Similarly, BAFF levels in systemic lupus eythematosus (SLE) patients were found to be markedly reduced with steroid therapy [13,31].…”

“…Some studies have shown that BAFF caused an increase in Th1-related inflammatory responses [30,32]. In these studies, BAFF enhanced differentiation toward Th1 and also increased the levels of cytokines (IFN g, interleukin-2, interleukin-12 ve TNF-b) associated with Th1-dominant response.…”

Peripheral Blood B cell Subsets and BAFF/APRIL Levels and their Receptors are Disturbed in Rheumatoid Arthritis but not in Ankylosing Spondylitis

“…However, the effects of anti-rheumatic drugs on the levels of circulating BAFF are not well understood. It has been described that cytokines, such as IL-10, IFN-α and IFN-γ may increase BAFF expression in various cell types [7,8], while highdose corticosteroid treatment inhibits its expression [33]. Biological treatments, such as rituximab, induce BAFF, while TNF-α blockade does not affect BAFF levels [34].…”

Susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is associated with altered B-cell subsets distribution and decreased serum BAFF levels

“…Inflammatory environments can also induce BAFF release from other cell types, such as myeloid cells [55,56], other fibroblast-like cells [57] or astrocytes [58]. Interestingly, BAFF production induced by proinflammatory cytokines may be inhibited by steroids [59], which appear to be over-expressed in animals developing EAE [60,61]. In addition to a production defect, an over-consummation of BAFF by T cells may also take place during the acute phase of the disease [50,62].…”