A Study on Changes in Serum HMGB1/RAGE Pro-Inflammatory Axis and Related Cytokines Levels in Patients with Acute Brucellosis in Qinghai Province, China

Objective: The serum levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE), S100 calcium-binding protein A12 (S100A12), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) were measured in patients with acute brucellosis and control subjects to elucidate the association between brucellosis and the HMGB1/RAGE pro-inflammatory axis, ultimately providing more scientific evidence for the prevention and control of the disease. Methods: A total of 112 patients with acute brucellosis were enrolled as the case group, and 119 healthy individuals were enrolled as the control group. Serum levels of HMGB1, RAGE, esRAGE, S100A12, and AGEs were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The differences in serum levels of each indicator between groups were compared, and Pearson correlation analysis was employed to explore the correlations among HMGB1, RAGE, esRAGE, S100A12, and AGEs in the serum of brucellosis patients. Results: The serum level of HMGB1 in the case group was (9.188 ± 3.249) ng/mL, and that in the control group was (7.687 ± 2.385) ng/mL. A statistically significant difference in serum HMGB1 level was observed between the two groups (t = 4.019, p < 0.05). The serum level of RAGE in the case group was (3.847 ± 0.940) ng/mL, and those in the control group were (3.480 ± 0.930) ng/mL. A statistically significant difference in serum RAGE level was found between the two groups (t = 2.986, p < 0.05). The serum level of AGEs in the case group was (325.5 ± 144.2) μg/mL, and those in the control group were (356.6 ± 84.5) μg/mL. A statistically significant difference in serum AGE level was detected between the two groups (t = −2.009, p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences in serum levels of esRAGE and S100A12 were identified between the two groups. Conclusions: Serum levels of HMGB1, RAGE, and AGEs were found to be abnormally altered in patients with acute brucellosis. These changes suggest that HMGB1, RAGE, and AGEs may play a role in the host’s early immune response to Brucella. However, as this study only measured the circulating concentrations of these cytokines, further mechanistic studies are required to verify whether the observed alterations are involved in the signal transduction pathways of the Brucella-induced inflammatory response in the host.