In vitro apoptosis and expression of apoptosis‐related molecules in lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases

Abstract

Based on these data, we conclude that accelerated in vitro apoptosis and increased Fas/ APO-1 and bcl-2 protein expression in SLE are nonspecific for the disease, and might be explained at least in part by the increased in vivo activation levels of PBMC from patients with SLE, MCTD, or autoimmune vasculitides combined with in vitro incubation under "noninflammatory" conditions and growth factor withdrawal.