Autoantibodies against Type I Interferon's Correlate with Low CD169/SIGLEC1 and Severe Non-Viral Infections in SLE Iraqi Patients

Abstract

Background:  Immune deregulations and activation of the type I interferon (IFN-I) pathway are hallmarks of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), a chronic autoimmune illness. Anti-IFN-I antibodies and CD169/SIGLEC1 expression are two biomarkers linked to IFN-I signaling that have lately drawn interest as indications of immunological dysfunction and disease activity in SLE patients. Objective:  In patients with systemic lupus erythematous, this study sought to assess the association between IFN-I-related immunological markers, such as anti-IFN-I antibodies and CD169/SIGLEC1 expression, and disease duration, infection history, and therapy intensity. Methods: Patients with SLE diagnoses participated in a cross-sectional study. Clinical information was documented, such as age, length of illness, history of infection, and course of treatment. Using the proper immunological tests, serum anti-IFN-I levels and CD169/SIGLEC1 expression were measured. To find associations between clinical factors and immunological markers, statistical studies were carried out. Results: The findings showed strong correlations between IFN-I-related biomarkers, treatment intensity, infection history, and disease duration. Anti-IFN-I levels and disease duration were shown to be positively correlated, while CD169/SIGLEC1 expression was negatively correlated with disease duration. Reduced CD169/SIGLEC1 expression and elevated anti-IFN-I levels were substantially correlated with infection history. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between treatment intensity and both immunological markers, indicating a link between immune modulation and therapeutic intervention. The assessed immunological markers did not significantly correlate with age. Conclusion: The results emphasize the significance of IFN-I-related biomarkers in reflecting treatment exposure, infection burden, and disease chronicity in SLE patients. The potential use of anti-IFN-I antibodies and CD169/SIGLEC1 expression in precision medicine techniques for the treatment of autoimmune illnesses is supported by their potential as useful instruments for disease monitoring and risk assessment in SLE.