The expression levels of two mRNA variants of the B-cell activating factor of the TNF family (BAFF) gene; the full length and the exon 3 lacking form (ΔBAFF) were assessed by qRT-PCR method in 18 healthy controls and 26 patients with myositis. These two BAFF splice variants were differentially expressed, but in comparable ratio, in healthy controls and in patients with myositis.
Since no methods for distinguishing the full-length BAFF peptide and ΔBAFF derived peptide are available, and these two peptides can have different role in BAFF signalling cascade, the BAFF protein disease association-study results have to be presented carefully in general