No association between serum prolactin and IL-۱۷ levels in patients with hyperprolactinemia, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus

Prolactin is a female hormone contributing to the production of milk in women with the immunologic functions. Moreover, it contributes to the pathogenesis of some diseases such as autoimmune diseases, and hyperprolactinemia. Previous studies showed interleukin ۱۷ (IL-۱۷) contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Given the prolactin may exert its pathologic effects through increasing IL-۱۷ level, the levels of prolactin, and IL-۱۷ were quantified, and their association was evaluated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and hyperprolactinemia patients. Therefore, the association between prolactin, and IL-۱۷ levels in hyperprolactinemia, RA, and SLE patients was evaluated in this study. Four groups, including healthy individuals (n = ۵۰), RA (n = ۵۰), hyperprolactinemia (n = ۵۰) and SLE (n = ۳۵) were entered into the study. Patients were diagnosed according to the internationals criteria for recognition of RA, hyperprolactinemia and SLE. To measure the serum levels of prolactin, and IL-۱۷, the ELISA method was used. Correlation analysis of prolactin, and IL-۱۷ levels in each group showed that no association exists between the levels of the prolactin, and IL-۱۷ in each group (p value > ۰.۰۵). Unexpectedly, patients in two autoimmune groups, RA and SLE, did not demonstrate significantly elevated level of prolactin (P-value > ۰.۰۵). In another unexpected finding, IL-۱۷ level was not significantly higher in SLE patients (P-value > ۰.۰۵). Altogether, our results suggest that there was no association between prolactin, and IL-۱۷ levels in hyperprolactinemia, RA, and SLE.

کلیدواژه ها:

interleukin ۱۷ ، Hyperprolactinemia ، prolactin ، Rheumatoid arthritis ، Systemic lupus erythematosus