Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
CCL13 is a promising diagnostic marker for systemic sclerosis
K Yanaba1, A Yoshizaki, E Muroi
1Department of Dermatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan.
Background:
Previous studies suggest that CCL13 may have some role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Objectives:
To determine serum levels of CCL13 and its clinical associations in patients with SSc.
Methods:
Serum CCL13 levels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 80 patients with SSc, 20 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 20 patients with dermatomyositis (DM), 29 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 50 healthy individuals.
Results:
Mean + or - SD serum CCL13 levels were elevated in patients with SSc (81.3 + or - 55.8 pg mL(-1)) compared with healthy controls (15.0 + or - 9.9 pg mL(-1); P < 0.001) and patients with SLE (22.0 + or - 6.9 pg mL(-1); P < 0.001), DM (24.4 + or - 36.1 pg mL(-1); P < 0.001) and AD (18.0 + or - 6.4 pg mL(-1); P < 0.001). Among patients with SSc, there were no differences in serum CCL13 levels between limited cutaneous SSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc. In a longitudinal study, CCL13 levels were generally unchanged during the follow-up.
Conclusions:
Serum CCL13 was specifically increased in patients with SSc, but not in patients with SLE, DM or AD or in healthy controls. CCL13 could be a promising serological marker for SSc.
