Investigating the role of IL-33 in the pathogenesis of Behcet's Disease

Objectives: Behcet's disease (BD) is an inflammatory disease, characterized by oral aphthous lesions, recurrent uveitis, skin lesions, and genital ulcerations. Increased release of several cytokines may play a role in the inflammatory stages of BD. IL-33, a member of the IL-1 cytokine superfamily, plays an important role in inflammation. We analyzed serum IL-33 concentration in BD patients to assess its possible role in the pathophysiology of this disease. Methods: The study included 54 BD patients, 31 with active BD and 23 with inactive BD as well as 18 matched healthy controls. Serum IL-33 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The mean serum IL-33 levels were 4.84 +/- 2.81 pg/ml in the BD patients (6.16 +/- 2.94 pg/ml in the active stage and 2.86 +/- 0.54 pg/ml in the inactive stage) and 2.88 +/- 0.42 pg/ml in the healthy controls. Serum IL-33 levels were significantly higher in patients with BD compared with the healthy controls (p < 0.01). In active Behcet patients with arthritis the mean serum IL-33 level was higher but this finding was not statistically significant (p = 0.122). Conclusion: IL-33 may play a significant role of in the pathogenesis of BD.