article · Scientific Reports
Behçet's disease is a relapsing inflammatory autoimmune condition affecting multiple organs, including the eyes, genitals, and intestines. A study involving fifty individuals diagnosed with Behçet's disease and fifty healthy matched controls evaluated serum levels of circular RNA FUNDC1 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Both markers were significantly elevated in patients with Behçet's disease compared to the control group, with higher concentrations observed during active phases of the condition. Furthermore, marker levels corresponded to distinct clinical symptoms and medical treatments. Circular RNA FUNDC1 was notably higher in individuals lacking musculoskeletal or central nervous system manifestations, as well as in patients treated with azathioprine and steroids. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha was elevated in patients presenting with oral ulcers, skin lesions, and those receiving hydroxychloroquine. These findings indicate that both circulating molecules reflect disease presence, activity, and specific symptom profiles.
Behçet's disease can be unpredictable and difficult to track because symptoms flare across diverse organ systems. Identifying circulating blood markers that reflect disease presence, activity, and distinct clinical presentations helps clarify the underlying molecular processes. This understanding is an important step towards improving how clinicians detect the condition and follow its progression in affected individuals.
The findings suggest a potential basis for blood-based diagnostic or monitoring assays using standard quantitative PCR and ELISA platforms. Such tests could eventually serve diagnostic laboratories and clinical specialists managing autoimmune disorders. At present, the research is at an early stage, based on a single cohort of one hundred participants, and will require extensive technical development and clinical validation before any commercial diagnostic product can emerge.
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Behçet's disease (BD) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by relapsing genital ulcers, ocular involvement, and intestinal disorders. Evaluate serum levels of circular RNA (circRNA) FUNDC1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in BD patients and compare them accordingly to healthy individuals. One hundred participants were enrolled in this study and subdivided equally into BD patients and healthy matched individuals. A five mL sample of blood was drawn from each subject and analyzed to measure circRNA-FUNDC1 and TNF-α. Full clinical investigations have been performed, and the Behcet Disease Current-Activity Form score (BDCAF) has been calculated. circRNA-FUNDC1 and TNF-α were measured by quantitative real time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. An up-regulation of circRNA-FUNDC1 as well as TNF-α (p < 0.0001) in BD group were reported compared to controls. Both biomarkers tended to elevate with the activity of the disease as levels were higher in active BD patients than inactive patients. The level of circRNA-FUNDC1 (FC) tended to be higher in patients with negative musculoskeletal and central nervous system (CNS) manifestations than those with positive manifestations (p-values = 0.007, 0.037, respectively). The level of TNF-α was reported higher in those with oral ulcer with (p = 0.041), also in patients with positive skin manifestations than in negative patients (p = 0.025). The level of circRNA-FUNDC1 (FC) was higher in patients who took Azathioprine and steroids (p = 0.019, 0.035) and lower in patients who took cyclosporin (p = 0.049). TNF-α tended to elevate in patients who took Hydroxychloroquine than those who did not (p = 0.040). The upregulated levels of circRNA-FUNDC1 and TNF-α may have a potential role in improving our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying BD.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-66489-y
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