Figure 1

OAZ highly expressed in SLE patients and associated with disease activity as well as anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies. a. Elevated OAZ expressions in peripheral blood cells from SLE patients. Each symbol represents an individual sample and horizontal lines shows mean values. The log10 values of OAZ expression levels were 0.79 ± 0.13 in SLE patients, 0.001 ± 0.109 in normal controls and -0.04 ± 0.22 in RA patients. b. OAZ expression correlated with SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI). According to Pearson's correlation test, the log10 values of OAZ expression levels in peripheral blood cells from 40 SLE patients were significantly correlated with SLEDAI scores (r = 0.72, P < 0.0001). c. OAZ expression associated with anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm antibodies. Each symbol represents an individual sample and horizontal lines showed mean values. Patients were divided into two groups according to their anti-dsDNA or anti-Sm antibody detection results at the time of blood drawn. Those with positive anti-dsDNA antibody or anti-Sm antibody had a higher expression of OAZ in peripheral blood than those without (both P < 0.05).