Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?

Abstract Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a persistent autoimmune connective tissue disease marked by fibrosis that impacts the skin and internal organs. Serum interleukin-33 (s.IL-33) is a recently discovered cytokine expressed in various cell types, which includes fibroblasts. Inflammation a...

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Main Authors: Omnia Ali Abubakr, Amal Ibrahim Ahmed Othman, Rasha Mahmoud Mohamed Hammoda, Doaa Mostafa Awad ELzoghby, Nermin Hassan Abdelsalam EL-Gharbawy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s43166-025-00321-9
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author Omnia Ali Abubakr
Amal Ibrahim Ahmed Othman
Rasha Mahmoud Mohamed Hammoda
Doaa Mostafa Awad ELzoghby
Nermin Hassan Abdelsalam EL-Gharbawy
author_facet Omnia Ali Abubakr
Amal Ibrahim Ahmed Othman
Rasha Mahmoud Mohamed Hammoda
Doaa Mostafa Awad ELzoghby
Nermin Hassan Abdelsalam EL-Gharbawy
author_sort Omnia Ali Abubakr
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a persistent autoimmune connective tissue disease marked by fibrosis that impacts the skin and internal organs. Serum interleukin-33 (s.IL-33) is a recently discovered cytokine expressed in various cell types, which includes fibroblasts. Inflammation and damage to tissues trigger the release, which controls the inflammatory response by blocking the suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) receptor. The present research study aims to assess the correlation among s.IL-33, soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), musculoskeletal ultrasonography results, and clinical data in individuals with SSc. This case–control research comprised 30 individuals with SSc and 15 healthy controls from the rheumatology and radiology departments. Patients with SSc were categorized according to skin involvement into two groups: group A, comprising those with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), and group B, consisting of individuals with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). High-resolution musculoskeletal ultrasonography of the hands and wrists was performed, and serum levels of s.IL-33 and sST2 were measured. Results SSc patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of s.IL-33 and sST2 in comparison to healthy controls (p < 0.001). Patients in Group A demonstrated significantly elevated levels of s.IL-33 and sST2 in comparison to Group B (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Group A also exhibited significantly higher numbers of tender and swollen joints, as well as greater finger-to-palm distances (p < 0.001), compared to Group B. Additionally, tenosynovitis and tendon friction rub (TFR) were more prevalent in Group A (p = 0.052 and p < 0.001, respectively). s.IL-33 levels showed a positive relation with TFR, and positive correlation with the number of tender joints, swollen joints, ESR, CRP, and the US10 SSc index (p < 0.001). In a comparable pattern, sST2 levels exhibited a positive correlation with the US10 SSc index (p = 0.049). Multivariate research revealed that the number of tender joints, swollen joints, and the US10 SSc score are significant independent predictors of s.IL-33 levels in SSc patients. Conclusion Our research results highlight the significance of the s.IL-33/ST2 pathway in the pathogenicity of arthropathy associated with SSc.
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spelling doaj-art-832b67e5f1164862ba98ea78b3f6e1d42025-08-20T01:53:23ZengSpringerOpenEgyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation2090-32352025-05-0152111210.1186/s43166-025-00321-9Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?Omnia Ali Abubakr0Amal Ibrahim Ahmed Othman1Rasha Mahmoud Mohamed Hammoda2Doaa Mostafa Awad ELzoghby3Nermin Hassan Abdelsalam EL-Gharbawy4Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Ain Shams UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Ain Shams UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Ain Shams UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Ain Shams UniversityAbstract Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a persistent autoimmune connective tissue disease marked by fibrosis that impacts the skin and internal organs. Serum interleukin-33 (s.IL-33) is a recently discovered cytokine expressed in various cell types, which includes fibroblasts. Inflammation and damage to tissues trigger the release, which controls the inflammatory response by blocking the suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) receptor. The present research study aims to assess the correlation among s.IL-33, soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), musculoskeletal ultrasonography results, and clinical data in individuals with SSc. This case–control research comprised 30 individuals with SSc and 15 healthy controls from the rheumatology and radiology departments. Patients with SSc were categorized according to skin involvement into two groups: group A, comprising those with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), and group B, consisting of individuals with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc). High-resolution musculoskeletal ultrasonography of the hands and wrists was performed, and serum levels of s.IL-33 and sST2 were measured. Results SSc patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of s.IL-33 and sST2 in comparison to healthy controls (p < 0.001). Patients in Group A demonstrated significantly elevated levels of s.IL-33 and sST2 in comparison to Group B (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Group A also exhibited significantly higher numbers of tender and swollen joints, as well as greater finger-to-palm distances (p < 0.001), compared to Group B. Additionally, tenosynovitis and tendon friction rub (TFR) were more prevalent in Group A (p = 0.052 and p < 0.001, respectively). s.IL-33 levels showed a positive relation with TFR, and positive correlation with the number of tender joints, swollen joints, ESR, CRP, and the US10 SSc index (p < 0.001). In a comparable pattern, sST2 levels exhibited a positive correlation with the US10 SSc index (p = 0.049). Multivariate research revealed that the number of tender joints, swollen joints, and the US10 SSc score are significant independent predictors of s.IL-33 levels in SSc patients. Conclusion Our research results highlight the significance of the s.IL-33/ST2 pathway in the pathogenicity of arthropathy associated with SSc.https://doi.org/10.1186/s43166-025-00321-9Systemic sclerosisS.il-33SST2ArthritisMusculoskeletal ultrasoundUS10 SSc
spellingShingle Omnia Ali Abubakr
Amal Ibrahim Ahmed Othman
Rasha Mahmoud Mohamed Hammoda
Doaa Mostafa Awad ELzoghby
Nermin Hassan Abdelsalam EL-Gharbawy
Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?
Egyptian Rheumatology and Rehabilitation
Systemic sclerosis
S.il-33
SST2
Arthritis
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
US10 SSc
title Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?
title_full Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?
title_fullStr Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?
title_full_unstemmed Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?
title_short Are s.IL33 and sST2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy?
title_sort are s il33 and sst2 related to the clinical and musculoskeletal ultrasound findings of systemic sclerosis arthropathy
topic Systemic sclerosis
S.il-33
SST2
Arthritis
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
US10 SSc
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s43166-025-00321-9
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