Evaluation of ferroptosis markers and laboratory findings in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most prevalent chronic rheumatic disease of childhood. Ferroptosis is a distinct, regulated form of cell death that is iron-dependent and driven by the accumulation of lipid peroxides on cell membranes. The aim of this study was to measure the soluble transferrin receptor and malondialdehyde levels as ferroptosis markers in Turkish children with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. We also evaluated the laboratory findings in the patients.

METHODS

Thirty children diagnosed with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis and 30 healthy children were included in the study. The sTfR1 and the malondialdehyde levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patient group was 10.13±3.98, and the mean age of the control group was 10.67±3.21. Blood soluble transferrin receptor and malondialdehyde levels did not differ between the patient and control groups (p>0.05). In contrast, the p-value for the malondialdehyde results was statistically borderline. In the patient group, sedimentation rates were found to correlate with serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein levels. In addition, the highest malondialdehyde levels were found in systemic Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and the highest soluble transferrin receptor levels were found in psoriatic arthritis subtypes. Both malondialdehyde and soluble transferrin receptor levels were lowest in those treated with methotrexate.

CONCLUSION

Although our findings show that soluble transferrin receptor and malondialdehyde levels did not differ between patient and control groups, larger-scale studies are needed to evaluate more specific biomarkers and/or targeted tissue sampling in different subtypes, controlling for confounding factors such as treatment. This could open new horizons for therapies targeting ferroptosis.