B Cell–Activating Factor Is Associated with Testosterone and Smoking Status in Non-Ambulatory Men with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigated the relationship between B cell-activating factor (BAFF), testosterone, and smoking in men with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). BAFF is a cytokine involved in B cell development and elevated in men with chronic SCI. The study found that active smokers had significantly higher BAFF levels compared to non-smokers. Additionally, there was a negative association between testosterone levels and BAFF levels, suggesting a link between androgen deficiency and autoimmunity. The findings suggest that modifiable health habits, such as smoking, and hormone levels may influence BAFF levels in men with chronic SCI. BAFF may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for reducing neuroinflammation and improving neurological outcomes after SCI.

• 1
  Active smokers had significantly greater BAFF levels than former/nonsmokers (871 pg/mL vs. 665 pg/ml, p = 0.002).
• 2
  BAFF decreased 36– 11.1pg/mL for every 1 ng/mL increase in total testosterone ( p = 0.002).
• 3
  This model explained 41% of the variation in circulating BAFF levels (model p < 0.0001).