Association between UBQLN Family Gene and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Control Study

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder. This study aims to investigate the association between UBQLN family genes and the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods In the present study, plasma levels of UBQLN family genes were evaluated in 113 SLE patients and 115 healthy controls. The relative mRNA expression levels of UBQLN family genes in peripheral blood lymphocytes were quantified using qRT-PCR. Additionally, UBQLN protein levels in serum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The diagnostic potential of UBQLN family genes was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Correlation analysis was conducted using Pearson and Spearman methods, while logistic regression was employed for one-way analysis.Results The mRNA expression levels of UBQLN4 and UBQLN2 SLE patients were significantly lower than those in the control group (both p < .05). Moreover, the combined diagnostic performance of UBQLN4 and UBQLN2 surpassed that of each gene alone, with a combined AUC of 0.697. The protein expression levels of UBQLN1, UBQLN2, and UBQLN4 were also significantly reduced in SLE patients compared to controls (all p < .05).Conclusion These findings suggest that UBQLN family genes in peripheral blood lymphocytes may play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE and hold promise as biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.