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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
8751869 Genetic variability in the tumor necrosis factor-lymphotoxin region influences susceptibil 1996 Sep The major histocompatibility complex class III tumor necrosis factor-lymphotoxin (TNF-LT) region (6p21.3) was investigated as a possible susceptibility locus for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Inheritance of five TNF microsatellite markers was determined in 50 multiplex families. Overall, 47 different haplotypes were observed. One of these, the TNF a6, b5, c1, d3, e3 (H1) haplotype, was present in 35.3% of affected, but in only 20.5% of unaffected, individuals (P < .005). This haplotype accounted for 21.5% of the parental haplotypes transmitted to affected offspring and only 7.3% not transmitted to affected offspring (P = .0003). The TNF a6 and TNF c1 alleles were individually associated with RA (P = .0005 and .0008, respectively), as were the HLA-DRB1 "shared epitope" (SE) (P = .0001) and HLA-DRB1*0401 (P = .0018). Both univariate and bivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed significant effects of TNF c1 and SE in increasing risk to RA (P < .001). Stratification by the presence of SE indicated an independent effect of the TNFc1 allele (P = .0003) and the HLA A1, B8, DR3 extended haplotype (always TNFa2, b3, c1, d1, e3) (P = .0027) in SE heterozygotes, while the H1 haplotype was associated with RA in SE homozygotes (P = .0018). The TNF-LT region appears to influence susceptibility to RA, distinct from HLA-DR.
7774110 Effects of fish oil on plasma fibrinolysis in patients with mild rheumatoid arthritis. 1995 Jan As rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have been shown to have impaired plasma fibrinolysis and fish oil has been suggested to be useful for RA, this study investigated the effects of fish oil on fibrinolytic parameters in patients with RA. Forty-five RA patients were randomised to receive either fish oil (1.7 gm eicosapentaenoic acid and 1.1 gm docosahexaenoic acid/day) or placebo treatment for at least 6 months. Plasma levels of fibrinogen, tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity were measured at 3-month intervals. In the fish oil treatment group, plasma levels of fibrinogen and t-PA activity were reduced at 6 months when compared with baseline [fibrinogen: 3.2 (2.85-3.53) milligrams vs 3.89 (3.56-4.22) milligrams, mean (95% confidence intervals for mean), p < 0.02; t-PA activity 1.4 (1.01-1.78) units/ml vs 1.94 (1.55-2.33) units/ml, p < 0.01]. No significant changes in plasma PAI activity were seen during the treatment period in these patients. Placebo treatment did not significantly alter the plasma levels of fibrinogen or t-PA and PAI activity. In conclusion, fish oil supplementation does not appear to produce an improvement in plasma fibrinolysis. Indeed, plasma fibrinogen levels and t-PA activity were reduced. This could be due to an effect of fish oil on acute phase protein production. Alternatively, as t-PA is produced on an "on demand" basis, its reduction may be related to the lowering of fibrinogen levels following fish oil therapy.
1327876 Regulation of 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 synthesis in macrophages from arthritic join 1992 Oct 12 Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (100 nM), a potent protein kinase C and macrophage activator, has a biphasic affect on 25(OH)D3-1 alpha-hydroxylase activity in synovial fluid macrophages from arthritis patients. After 5 h, 1 alpha, 25(OH)D3 synthesis fell from 5.2 +/- 0.1 to 1.6 +/- 0.2 pmol/h per 10(6) cells, however, after 24 h and 48 h, synthesis increased to 17.4 +/- 0.3 and 22.3 +/- 1.4 pmol/h per 10(6) cells, respectively. Although an independent short-term mechanism is suggested, protein kinase C may promote macrophage activation, thus increasing long-term 25(OH)D3-1 alpha-hydroxylase expression. Intracellular calcium and cAMP are unlikely to activate the enzyme, since 0.1 microM of the calcium ionophore, A23187, and 1 mM dibutyryl-cAMP inhibited synthesis by 87% and 79%, respectively, after 24 h.
7571017 [The immunolocalization of the ribosomal gene transcription initiation factor UBF in the i 1995 Serum P419 from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis with a high specificity immunolabeling nucleoli in various mammalian cells has been identified. On the Western blots of total cellular proteins or proteins extracted from isolated nucleoli it cross-reacted with a doublet of polypeptides of 97 and 94 kDa. That is why this serum has been concluded to recognize UBF, or RNA polymerase I-specific transcription initiation factor. It was shown that UBF remained bound to the nucleoli or nucleolus organizing regions (NORs) of mitotic chromosomes despite the level of rDNA transcription. Nevertheless, intranucleolar localization of UBF was dramatically changed after partial or complete block of rRNA synthesis. In pycnotic cells positive labeling was found within the whole nucleus and cytoplasm instead of nucleolus. In metaphase UBF molecules are unequally distributed between the particular NORs, whereas in anaphase they are uniformly allocated between the daughter cells.
1631487 Improvement of oral hygiene in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 1992 Jun Programs in power toothbrushing, manual toothbrushing with conventional fluoride toothpaste and with a chlorhexidine/fluoride gel has been evaluated for plaque removal in an observer blind cross-over clinical trial on 14 rheumatoid arthritis patients. All three regimens lead to considerable improvement in oral hygiene. The use of an electric toothbrush was slightly more effective than a manual brush. Brushing with a chlorhexidine/fluoride gel gave the best results, but its clinical use is limited by unacceptable taste, discoloration and possibly adverse soft tissue effects.
1282427 Immunostaining of nucleolus organizers in mammalian cells by a human autoantibody against 1992 Dec A mammalian autoantigen of the nucleolus organizing regions (NORs) was identified by a human autoantibody from the serum of a rheumatoid arthritis patient. The distribution and changes of NORs during the cell cycle of mammals were followed by using this autoantiserum in indirect-immunofluorescence microscopy. In interphase cells the staining pattern indicated that the autoantigen is restricted exclusively within the nucleolus. This fluorescence appeared punctuated rather than uniform, and it was reorganized during inhibition of transcription in cells treated with actinomycin D. During mitosis, the autoantigen was detected by light microscopy at the chromosomal nucleolus organizer regions, indicating that presumably the protein remains bound to the rRNA genes. Biochemical analysis by immunoblotting showed that the NOR autoantigen consists of two polypeptides with molecular masses apparent of 90-92 kDa in all of the mammalian cell lines tested. The identity of some epitopes, recognized by this autoantibody as the ribosomal transcription factor UBF, is discussed.
1395121 Expression of interleukin-1 and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist by human rheumatoid syno 1992 Oct Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has protean effects in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These effects include production of prostaglandins and collagenase from rheumatoid fibroblasts as well as upregulation of adhesion molecule expression on these cells. IL-1 can activate monocytes and neutrophils, as well as promote the growth of fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Recently, a novel interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) has been isolated, purified, cloned, and expressed, which may modulate the effects of IL-1. In this study, we present data demonstrating that macrophages isolated from human RA synovial tissues express both IL-1 and IRAP genes. In addition, RA synovial tissue macrophages and lining cells display IL-1 and IRAP antigenic expression by immunohistochemistry. In contrast, osteoarthritis synovial tissues, as compared to RA, have fewer IL-1 and IRAP-positive macrophages. Thus, the production of IL-1 balanced by IRAP may affect the joint destruction found in these diseases.
8771476 Steroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome. 1996 Jun We studied the medium- to long-term results of steroid injection into the carpal tunnel of women with the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Of 45 hands, only 11 had lasting relief of symptoms and 22 had no relief whatsoever. There was no correlation of the typical signs and symptoms of CTS with outcome. Other series have offered various predictive factors for the outcome of injection but we found little or no correlation between these factors and outcome.
8513596 Patterns of T-cell receptor variable beta gene expression by synovial fluid and peripheral 1993 Jul Conflicting data have been reported regarding the presence or absence of a predominant variable (V) region T-cell receptor (TCR) gene in the peripheral blood or synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to compare the level of TCR V beta gene expression by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and by synovial fluid cells obtained from HLA DRB1 *0401 and *0404 RA patients. PCR was performed using cDNA synthesized from freshly obtained cells (not stimulated in vitro). The pattern of expression observed for most of the V beta genes studied showed either preferential expression by PBMC or similar levels of expression between PBMC and synovial fluid T-cells. However, among individual patients (N = 5), several V beta genes were identified that were expressed to a significantly greater degree by synovial fluid cells. V beta 14 expression was detected in PBMC of all patients and the level of transcripts encoding V beta 14 increased following stimulation with immobilized anti-CD3 and IL-2. In vitro manipulation of populations of T-cells was found to alter the level of expressed V beta gene products. A V beta gene common to all patients that was consistently deleted from PBMC or expressed to a greater degree by resident, unsorted synovial fluid cells compared to PBMC was not identified.
8895142 Altered integrin expression in rheumatoid synovial lining type B cells: in vitro cytokine 1996 Oct OBJECTIVE: We recently showed that in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) the extracellular matrix around the lining cells is similar to the matrix seen in osteoarthritis, whereas the cellular adhesion apparatus is very different. In hyperplastic synovial membrane there is very little of alpha 6, alpha v, and beta 5 integrin subunits, whereas in noninflammatory synovial membrane these integrins are well expressed. We studied how expression of these cell adhesion molecules is regulated in RA in vitro. METHODS: The integrin expression in 6 different synovial fibroblast strains representing the type B cells and in THP-1 cell line was examined by immunoprecipitation, flow cytometry, and Northern hybridization. RESULTS: Proinflammatory cytokines, especially interleukin 1 beta, increased the expression of alpha 1 integrin in synovial fibroblasts. When the monocyte-like THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate to adherent macrophages they started to express alpha 6 and beta 5 integrin subunits. In adherent THP-1 cells the expression of integrin alpha 6 subunit was strongly enhanced by transforming growth factor-beta and downregulated by the combination of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma. CONCLUSION: Cytokines regulate the cell adhesion molecules of synovial fibroblasts and mononuclear phagocytes in vitro causing alterations in integrin expression similar to the ones seen in rheumatoid synovium in vivo.
8202488 BST-1, a surface molecule of bone marrow stromal cell lines that facilitates pre-B-cell gr 1994 Jun 7 Bone marrow stromal cells are essential for B-lymphocyte development. However, how stromal cells regulate B lymphopoiesis is not clear. In this paper, we report the molecular cloning of a stromal cell line-derived glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored molecule, BST-1, that facilitates pre-B-cell growth. The deduced amino acid sequence of BST-1 exhibited 33% identity with CD38. BST-1 was expressed in a wide range of tissues and in umbilical vein endothelial cells, whereas it was scarcely expressed in a variety of hematopoietic cell lines. The gene for BST-1 was assigned to chromosome 14q32.3, where immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes are clustered. BST-1 expression was enhanced in rheumatoid arthritis patient-derived bone marrow stromal cell lines that were previously shown to have an enhanced ability to support the growth of a pre-B-cell line as compared with stromal cell lines derived from healthy donors.
1376652 VLA family in rheumatoid arthritis: evidence for in vivo regulated adhesion of synovial fl 1992 Jun Adhesion of T cells to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins through VLA integrin receptors is crucial for lymphocyte trafficking, tissue localization and inflammatory function. We have investigated the expression of different VLA integrins (VLA-1-5) on peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) T lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Their expression on different cell types from synovial membrane (SM) is also reported. The role of VLA-4 fibronectin (FN) receptors in the interaction of activated SF T cells from RA patients with a 38-kD fragment of FN has been previously demonstrated. Here we have focused functional studies on VLA-5 as an alternative FN receptor for RA T cells. A significant higher proportion of SF T cells were able to bind to an 80-kD fragment of FN, containing the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) cell binding site, compared with PB T cells. This attachment was almost completely inhibited by anti-VLA-5 MoAbs as well as by RGD peptides. This enhanced capability by SF T cells appears to be independent of the level of the surface expression of the receptor and correlates better with their activation state as determined by the expression of the activation molecule AIM (CD69). The evidence for the expression of VLA heterodimers on both SF and SM cells from RA patients suggests the possible implication of ECM proteins in mediating and perpetuating inflammation in vivo.
7531628 Up-regulated expression of Fas antigen (CD95) by peripheral naive and memory T cell subset 1995 Feb Fas antigen (CD95) is a membrane-associated molecule that mediates apoptotic cell death and may play a role in the induction and maintenance of T cell tolerance. To elucidate the involvement of Fas antigen in human autoimmune diseases, we analysed Fas antigen expression by peripheral T cells from patients with SLE and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), using three-colour flow cytometry. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from SLE patients expressed Fas antigen in a higher density than did these cells from healthy donors and from RA patients. Enhancement of Fas antigen density was noted in Fas+CD45RO+ memory T cells from SLE patients. More remarkably, a significant expression of Fas antigen was observed in CD45RO- naive T cells from SLE patients. CD4+CD45RO- T cells from SLE patients co-expressed Fas antigen and early to intermediate activation antigens such as CD25 and CD71, and late activation antigen HLA-DR in only FashiCD4+ naive T cells. Such up-regulation of Fas antigen expression in SLE patients seems to be clinically meaningful, because mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of Fas antigen on CD4+ T cell subsets inversely correlates with the absolute size of CD4+ T cell subsets in peripheral blood of SLE patients. These results suggest that T cells with increased Fas antigen expression may be highly susceptible to apoptotic cell death, in vivo. A putative mechanism for lymphopenia in SLE patients is discussed.
8128188 Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with a chimeric CD4 monoclonal antibody (cM-T412): immun 1994 Mar To investigate the mechanisms of action underlying the therapeutic effect of CD4 monoclonal antibody therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), clinical responses were compared with several laboratory parameters. Twenty-nine RA patients received either 10 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg of cM-T412, a chimeric CD4 MoAb, for 7 days. The CD4 binding sites on circulating lymphocytes were saturated directly with cM-T412 and serum levels of unbound cM-T412 accumulated towards day 7 of treatment only in the patients treated with 50 and 100 mg. The treatment induced an instant and prolonged depression of the number of circulating CD4+ cells, similar for all dosages. Clinical improvement was observed predominantly in the patients treated with 50 or 100 mg cM-T412 daily and did not correlate with changes in counts of circulating leucocyte subsets nor with changes in serum cytokine levels. An antiglobulin response against cM-T412 developed in a majority of the patients. Side effects on the first day of treatment were correlated with an increase of serum IL-6 levels. This study indicates that a favourable clinical effect of cM-T412 administration was associated with the presence of unbound cM-T412 in the circulation of RA patients. Therefore penetration of unbound cM-T412 into the site of inflammation might determine the therapeutic effect in RA.
8004062 Stimulation of reactive oxidant production in neutrophils by soluble and insoluble immune 1994 Mar Cell-free synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis contains soluble and insoluble IgG-containing immune complexes which activate reactive oxidant production in human neutrophils. In this report we have measured the effects of inhibitors of signal transduction pathways on neutrophil activation by these complexes and also following activation by synthetic soluble and insoluble immune complexes made from human serum albumin (HSA) and anti-(HSA) antibodies. In all aspects studied, the soluble rheumatoid complexes and the soluble synthetic complexes were indistinguishable in the ways in which they activated neutrophils. Activation of reactive oxidant production in response to these soluble complexes was completely inhibited by pertussis toxin (indicating G-protein coupling of receptor occupancy), completely insensitive to staurosporine (indicating that oxidant production did not require protein kinase C activity), only marginally (< 30%) inhibited by butanol (indicating that dependence upon activity of phospholipase D was minimal), and completely inhibited by chloracysine, an inhibitor of phospholipase A2. In contrast, activation of reactive oxidant production in response to the insoluble rheumatoid or insoluble synthetic immune complexes was largely pertussis toxin insensitive, inhibited by > 50% by staurosporine, inhibited by > 50% by butanol, and completely inhibited by chloracysine. These results show that the receptor-mediated signal transduction systems activated by the soluble and insoluble immune complexes are different. Because the soluble complexes activate a transient burst of reactive oxidant secretion from primed neutrophils, the mechanisms regulating either the release or the intracellular production of oxidants within rheumatoid joints are distinct and hence may be pharmacologically modified independently of each other.
8234146 Effect of a benzylidene derivative, a novel antirheumatic agent, on IL-1 production. 1993 Jul 3,4-Diacetoxy benzylidene diacetate (ACP) is a prodrug of protocatechualdehyde (PAL). PAL significantly inhibited interleukin-1 (IL-1) production and release in human monocytes in a dose dependent fashion under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. ACP showed inhibitory effects on cartilage destruction of the femoral condyles induced by adjuvant arthritis in vivo in a significant and dose dependent fashion. To clarify the mechanism of action of ACP on rat adjuvant arthritis, we investigated the effects of PAL, a metabolite of ACP, on IL-1 production using synovial cell cultures derived from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. PAL significantly inhibited the IL-1 beta production induced by IL-1 alpha or PMA without inhibition of total protein synthesis and cytotoxicity. A protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, staurosporine, also suppressed the IL-1 beta production induced by IL-1 alpha or PMA, suggesting that the PKC pathway plays an important role in IL-1 alpha-induced IL-1 beta production. The calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187) potentiated the IL-1 beta production induced by IL-1 alpha. Whereas PAL slightly inhibited under these conditions, it was not statistically significant. These results suggest that PAL has a favourable action on cartilage destruction through the inhibition of IL-1 production induced by the modification of the PKC pathway.
8245772 Human rheumatoid factor cross-idiotypes. IV. Studies on WA XId-positive IgM without rheuma 1993 Dec 1 The WA cross-idiotype (XId) is the major XId among human monoclonal rheumatoid factors (mRF) and is almost always associated with the light (L) chain XId, 17.109, and the heavy (H) chain XId, G6. A cell line, 35G6, was cloned that bears the WA XId, but shows no reactivity with immunoglobulin G (IgG) and is negative for the 17.109 and G6 XIds. The 35G6 L chain appears to be derived from the same VKIII-JKI genes as most WA mRFs L chains. In contrast to the WA mRFs H chains in which VH1 genes are used, the 35G6 IgM expresses a VH3 gene. Sequence comparisons with other WA XId-positive mRF suggested several common structural features that may be related to the WA XId and differences that may relate to lack of IgG reactivity. Cells similar to 35G6 have previously been described in pokeweed mitogen-stimulated cell lines of peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal individuals and patients with rheumatoid arthritis and type II mixed cryoglobulinemia. These observations were confirmed, and in addition, it was shown that the majority of WA XId-positive cells in these cultures were negative for the 17.109 and G6 XIds. The presence of the WA XId in the absence of IgG reactivity suggests that the WA XId is more directly associated with an antigen specificity other than IgG, and its association with RF activity may be incidental. It is postulated that these WA XId-positive RF-negative antibodies may serve a physiologic role as natural antibodies to a pervasive pathogen, and that IgG reactivity is a consequence of somatic diversification accompanying proliferation of the WA XId-positive RF-negative cell.
7826136 Polymerase chain reaction fails to incriminate exogenous retroviruses HTLV-I and HIV-1 in 1994 Nov OBJECTIVES: To investigate the presence of antibodies to HTLV and HIV retroviral antigens in the rheumatological diseases rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM), primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to seek these exogenous retroviruses in proviral form in cellular DNA from these patients. METHODS: Thirty patients with active RA, 13 with PM, 14 with pSS and five with SLE were recruited and their sera tested for antibodies to HTLV-I in enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis. Seropositivity to HIV-1 was also sought. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes, synovial tissue and muscle biopsies and tested by polymerase chain reaction using consensus primers for HTLV-I and HIV-1. RESULTS: In HTLV-I ELISA, nine rheumatological sera (4/30 RA, 3/13 PM/DM and 2/5 SLE patients) were considered positive; 14 from pSS patients and 30 from normal subjects were negative. In a control group which included osteoarthritis, Crohn's disease and bacterial endocarditis patients, only two of 80 proved positive in this system. Validation of these sera by Western blotting generally revealed weak reactivity against a variety of HTLV-I antigens. PCR of genomic DNA derived from patients' peripheral blood mononuclear cells did not reveal the presence of HTLV-I and HIV-1 target sequences. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that PCR precludes HTLV-I and HIV-1 infection as causative agents in these rheumatological diseases although a minority of patients possess antibodies that are weakly cross-reactive with retroviral antigens.
8537469 Rheumatoid factor avidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: identification of pathoge 1995 Sep The standard ELISA for measuring rheumatoid factor (RF) binding was modified by treatment after the RF-Fc interaction with 2 M guanidine, which allowed a measurement of the avidity of the interaction. Incubation with 4 M guanidine eliminated RF binding. There was a direct correlation (r = 0.99) between the avidity as measured by the modified guanidine ELISA, and the dissociation constant for monoclonal RFs, as measured by competitive ELISA. Of the seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients tested, 47% had high-avidity RFs (> or = 8% RF binding remaining after guanidine treatment). Tender joint count scores were significantly higher in the high avidity group (p = 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in the ages, disease duration, sedimentation rate, RF titer or serum Ig levels compared to those with low-avidity RFs. Additionally 58% of those with high-avidity RFs had subcutaneous nodules, compared to 40% of the low-avidity group. A significantly higher number of nodules was present in the high-avidity RF group compared to those with low-avidity RFs (p = 0.03). Interestingly, the RF avidity was significantly higher in isolated immune complexes (IC), compared to that in circulating IgM RFs (p = 0.01). The RF avidity correlated with the presence of the glycoform of IgG lacking galactose in both circulating and IC-derived IgG (p = 0.003 and 0.009 respectively). Information about the strength of binding to Fc identifies a subgroup of IgM RFs that are likely pathological in patients with RA, as well as a specific glycoform of the target antigen.
8409641 [Effect of 1 alpha-OH-D3 on the bone metabolism after high tibial osteotomy]. 1993 Sep The effect of 1-hydroxycholecalciferol (1 alpha-OH-D3) on bone metabolism during osteotomized bone healing was investigated. The study based on 19 female patients with gonarthrosis who underwent the high tibial osteotomy. In 10 selected randomly from these patients 1 alpha-OH-D3 (1.0 micrograms/day) was administered before and after the surgery. After operation the changes in bone density (by MD-method) and biochemical parameters were followed. In the non-treated group the serum level of [Ca] x [P] product temporarily decreased at 3 days after surgery. Average bone density at two months after the surgery was 8.8% lower than the preoperative value. In contrast, 1 alpha-OH-D3 treated group showed significantly less decrease of serum [Ca] x [P] product at the third day than the control group and no significant decrease of bone density at two months after the operation. From these results, it was concluded that the 1 alpha-OH-D3 suppresses the decrease of serum Ca and P level and systemic osteopenia after osteotomy and may have an beneficial effect on fracture healing.