Phosphorylation Modulates Survivin Function in Behcet’s Disease

Purpose: Survivin is critical for proliferation, maturation, homeostasis and differentiation of effector and memory lymphocytes. In this study the baculoviral inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) mRNA, survivin, and phosphorylated survivin expression were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and plasma of patients with Behcet’s disease (BD).

Methods: In this study, 26 Iranian Azari patients diagnosed with BD and 30 healthy controls were recruited. Total RNA was extracted from PBMCs. The expression level of survivin was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Survivin plasma levels were measured using survivin Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Also, western blotting analysis was performed to measure phosphorylated-survivin and survivin levels in PBMCs and plasma of patients with BD.

Results: In a pilot study, we showed that BIRC5 gene expression increased in BD patients compared with healthy controls (P<0.05). Western blotting analysis indicated that there was an increase in phosphorylated survivin expression in PBMCs of BD patients. Our data from western blot analysis showed survivin level in plasma samples of BD patients was similar to healthy controls. No significant differences were observed between plasma survivin levels in the BD patients compared with control group (P>0.05). The expression of phosphorylated survivin at Thr34 in PBMCs of BD patients with active disease was increased. Plasma phosphorylated survivin levels in having BD patients were also downregulated compared to healthy individuals.

Conclusion: Analysis of PBMCs indicated increasing expression level of phosphorylated survivin in PBMCs of BD patients. There was also a downregulation in phosphorylated survivin levels in plasma of BD patients.