The influence of Epigenetic Dysregulation and hyperprolactinemia on risk and disease activity Of systemic lupus erythematosus | ||
| Zagazig University Medical Journal | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 21 October 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/zumj.2025.424854.4201 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Nearmeen Rashad* 1; Lobna I Kotb2; Nahawand A El-Deeb3; Mai M El-Daly4; Rehab M Atef5; Lamiaa G Mohammad6; Ahmed El-Sayed Hassan7; Amira M. Elsayed8 | ||
| 1Diabetes and Endocrine Unit -Internal Medicin Departement -Zagazig University | ||
| 2Rheumatology,Rehabilitation and physical medicine department,Zagazig University | ||
| 3Colleague of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University | ||
| 4Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt. | ||
| 5Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig,Egypt | ||
| 6Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University | ||
| 7Medical Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Sulaiman Al-Rajhi University, Bukayriah, Saudi Arabia. | ||
| 8Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Beha, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background Prolactin, a hormone with established endocrine functions, has increasingly been recognized for its immunomodulatory properties. We aimed to explore the association between serum prolactin level, its gene expression, and clinical as well as laboratory indicators of disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: A case control study was conducted involving 80 individuals classified 40 SLE patients and 40 as controls. Lupus patients were grouped according to disease activity based on the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Serum prolactin levels were measured via immunoassay, and prolactin mRNA expression was assessed using real-time PCR. Results: Both circulating prolactin and its mRNA expression (22.68±7.2, 2.84±1.3, respectively) were significantly elevated in SLE patients compared to controls (11.5±1.89,0.82, ±0.16, respectively), with the highest values observed in patients with severe disease activity. A strong positive correlation was found between prolactin levels and SLEDAI scores, especially in those with renal, neurological, thrombotic, and pulmonary manifestations. Higher prolactin activity was also associated with complement consumption, positive antiphospholipid antibodies, hematologic abnormalities, and renal impairment. Notably, elevated prolactin levels persisted despite immunosuppressive treatment. Multivariate analysis revealed that ANA positivity was associated with serum prolactin levels, while SLEDAI and anti-dsDNA levels independently predicted prolactin mRNA expression. Conclusion: Elevated prolactin levels and gene expression are closely linked to disease activity and immune dysfunction in SLE. These findings suggest that prolactin may contribute to lupus pathogenesis and could serve as both a biomarker for disease monitoring and a potential therapeutic target. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI; mRNA; prolactin | ||
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