摘要
Members of the tumor-necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and TNF-α receptor(TNFR) superfamilies of proteins(TNFSF and TNFRSF, respectively) play important roles in the function of the immune system. Decoy receptor 3(Dc R3, TNFRSF6b) is a decoy receptor that binds to three TNFSF ligands, Fas L, LIGHT and TL1 A. Association to these ligands competes with the corresponding functional receptors and blocks downstream signaling, leading to immunomodulatory effects, including the prevention of apoptosis. Dc R3 lacks a transmembrane region and exists only as a secreted protein, which is detectable in biological fluids. Recent studies have shown that Dc R3 is upregulated and may be pathogenetically implicated in several and diverse chronic inflammatory diseases. The strongest associations have been described for rheumatological diseases, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and serious infectious conditions, including systemic inflammatory response syndrome. In the majority of these conditions, Dc R3 m RNA and protein expression is elevated both at the target tissues as well as in the systemic circulation. Dc R3 concentration in the serum is untraceable in the majority of healthy individuals but can be detected in patients with various inflammatory diseases. In mostsuch cases, soluble Dc R3 correlates with disease severity, as patients with severe forms of disease have significantly higher levels than patients with milder or no activity. In addition, effective anti-inflammatory treatment leads to the disappearance of soluble Dc R3 from the circulation. Taken together, current evidence suggests that serum Dc R3 may become a useful biomarker for chronic inflammatory disorders, as it is upregulated in response to inflammatory stimuli, and may serve both as a prognostic marker for disease severity and as a surrogate indicator of response to treatment.
Members of the tumor-necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）and TNF-α receptor （TNFR） superfamilies of proteins（TNFSF and TNFRSF, respectively） play important rolesin the function of the immune system. Decoy receptor3 （DcR3, TNFRSF6b） is a decoy receptor that binds tothree TNFSF ligands, FasL, LIGHT and TL1A. Associa-tion to these ligands competes with the correspondingfunctional receptors and blocks downstream signaling,leading to immunomodulatory effects, including theprevention of apoptosis. DcR3 lacks a transmembraneregion and exists only as a secreted protein, whichis detectable in biological fluids. Recent studies haveshown that DcR3 is upregulated and may be pathoge-netically implicated in several and diverse chronic in-flammatory diseases. The strongest associations havebeen described for rheumatological diseases, mainlysystemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthri-tis, inflammatory bowel disease, and serious infectiousconditions, including systemic inflammatory responsesyndrome. In the majority of these conditions, DcR3mRNA and protein expression is elevated both at thetarget tissues as well as in the systemic circulation.DcR3 concentration in the serum is untraceable in themajority of healthy individuals but can be detected inpatients with various inflammatory diseases. In most such cases, soluble DcR3 correlates with disease se-verity, as patients with severe forms of disease have significantly higher levels than patients with milder or no activity. In addition, effective anti-inflammatory treatment leads to the disappearance of soluble DcR3 from the circulation. Taken together, current evidence suggests that serum DcR3 may become a useful bio-marker for chronic inflammatory disorders, as it is up-regulated in response to inflammatory stimuli, and may serve both as a prognostic marker for disease severity and as a surrogate indicator of response to treatment.
