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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
18759286 The presentation and outcome of heart failure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis differ 2008 Sep OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical presentation, management, and outcome of heart failure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with non-RA patients. METHODS: We conducted a community-based cohort study in the setting of Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 1979 to 2000. One hundred three patients with RA and 852 non-RA patients with incident heart failure (physician diagnosed and Framingham criteria validated) were compared. Age- and sex-adjusted rates/frequencies and multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare the clinical features and mortality of heart failure following its onset in the 2 groups of patients. RESULTS: The patients with RA were more often female and less frequently were obese, were hypertensive, or had ischemic heart disease. Patients with RA and heart failure had fewer typical symptoms and signs and were less likely to undergo echocardiography compared with non-RA patients. After adjusting for differences, the patients with RA and heart failure were more likely to have preserved ejection fraction (>or=50%). Mortality at 1 year following heart failure was higher in patients with RA compared with non-RA patients (35% versus 19%; multivariable hazard ratio 1.89, 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.84). CONCLUSION: Both the clinical presentation and the outcome of heart failure differ significantly between patients with and those without RA from the same population. Among patients with RA, the presentation of heart failure is more subtle, myocardial function is more likely preserved, while mortality from heart failure is significantly higher. These findings emphasize the importance of more vigilant screening of patients with RA for early signs of heart failure and may represent important insights into the biologic mechanisms underlying heart failure in RA.
17907233 Finger tendon disease in untreated early rheumatoid arthritis: a comparison of ultrasound 2007 Oct 15 OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency and distribution of finger tenosynovitis in patients with early, untreated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using gray-scale ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Fifty patients underwent US and MRI of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints 2-5. Twenty healthy controls underwent US only. Flexor and extensor involvement was documented for each joint. Intrareader reliability (IRR) was calculated by rereading static images. RESULTS: Flexor tenosynovitis was found in 57 (28.5%) of 200 joints in 24 (48%) of 50 patients on US compared with 128 (64%) of 200 joints in 41 (82%) of 50 patients on MRI. Periextensor tenosynovitis was found in 14 (7%) joints in 9 (18%) patients on US compared with 80 (40%) joints in 36 (72%) patients on MRI. No controls had imaging tenosynovitis. Using MRI as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values for US were 0.44, 0.99, 0.49, and 0.98, respectively, for flexor tenosynovitis and 0.15, 0.98, 0.63, and 0.86 for extensor tenosynovitis, respectively. The IRR was 0.85 and 0.8 for US and MRI, respectively. The most frequently involved joints on US and MRI were the second and third MCP joints. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to compare US and MRI for the detection of tenosynovitis in the fingers of patients with early untreated RA. Tenosynovitis was found to be common using both modalities, with MRI being more sensitive. A negative US scan does not exclude inflammation and an MRI should be considered. Further work is recommended to standardize definitions and image acquisition for both US and MRI images.
17391515 Techniques for assessing knee joint pain in arthritis. 2007 Mar 28 The assessment of pain is of critical importance for mechanistic studies as well as for the validation of drug targets. This review will focus on knee joint pain associated with arthritis. Different animal models have been developed for the study of knee joint arthritis. Behavioral tests in animal models of knee joint arthritis typically measure knee joint pain rather indirectly. In recent years, however, progress has been made in the development of tests that actually evaluate the sensitivity of the knee joint in arthritis models. They include measurements of the knee extension angle struggle threshold, hind limb withdrawal reflex threshold of knee compression force, and vocalizations in response to stimulation of the knee. A discussion of pain assessment in humans with arthritis pain conditions concludes this review.
17876647 Usefulness of anti-CCP antibodies in patients with hepatitis C virus infection with or wit 2008 Apr The presence of antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) has high specificity in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may induce extra-hepatic manifestations, such as polyarthritis that mimic RA. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-CCP antibodies in HCV-infected patients with or without arthritis, rheumatoid factor (RF), or cryoglobulinemia and to investigate whether anti-CCP antibodies may be helpful in discriminating patients with RA from patients with HCV-associated arthropathy. A total of 44 patients with RA, 34 patients with HCV infections, and 42 control patients with non-RA rheumatic diseases were recruited for the study. Anti-CCP antibody levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We found that, consistent with other reports, patients with RA were more likely to have high titers of anti-CCP antibody than HCV-infected or control patients. A significant number of HCV-infected patients with neither RF nor cryoglobulinemia were also positive for anti-CCP antibodies (the three positive values were 36.10, 8.65, and 5.83 U/ml, P < 0.01 compared with the control patients). The presence of cryoglobulinemia and/or RF in HCV-infected patients did not affect the anti-CCP outcomes. Although anti-CCP antibodies remain to be a very useful tool in discriminating RA from non-RA, HCV-infected patients with neither RF nor cryoglobulinemia may have anti-CCP antibodies. Because of limited patient numbers, this tentative conclusion may need further confirmation with inclusion of more patient population.
16929972 Phenotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes and serum immunoglobulin concentration in patien 2006 Jan We studied the phenotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes and serum immunoglobulin concentration in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of more than 12 months duration. Subpopulations of CDIgM+, CD25+, and HLA-DR+ lymphocytes and IgA concentration differed in these groups of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The count of lymphocytes carrying CDIgM+ and HLA-DR+ receptors correlated with activity of rheumatoid arthritis.
16476768 Human antibodies induce arthritis in mice deficient in the low-affinity inhibitory IgG rec 2006 Feb 20 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex autoimmune disease with a poorly understood pathogenesis. The disease is associated with polyclonal B cell activation and the production of autoantibodies (autoAbs), but there is a longstanding controversy as to whether such Abs contribute to, or are secondary to, the pathogenesis of RA. To address the potential pathogenicity of human RA-associated Abs, we developed a passive transfer model involving mice deficient in the low-affinity inhibitory Fc receptor, FcgammaRIIB. We report that plasma or serum from patients with active RA can induce inflammation and histological lesions in FcgammaRIIB-/- mice consistent with arthritis, and that this pathogenic activity is caused by the immunoglobulin G-rich fraction. Our results suggest that humoral autoimmunity can contribute directly to autoimmune arthritis, and that FcgammaRIIB-/- mice are a promising model to evaluate the arthritogenic potential of human autoAbs.
18243142 Serum amyloid A-induced IL-6 production by rheumatoid synoviocytes. 2008 Mar 5 In this study, we investigated the role of serum amyloid A protein (SAA) in the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) using rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS). Recombinant SAA stimulation induced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, from RA-FLS. The signaling events induced by SAA included the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kineases, p38 and JNK1/2 and the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB). Inhibitor studies have shown SAA-induced IL-6 production to be down-regulated by NF-kappaB inhibition and partially inhibited by p38 or JNK inhibitors. Our findings demonstrate that SAA is a significant inducer of IL-6, which is critically involved in RA pathogenesis.
17341507 Risk of progression from undifferentiated arthritis to rheumatoid arthritis: the effect of 2007 Jul OBJECTIVES: Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) and the C1858T missense single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the PTPN22 gene are both associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated whether the combination of these two biomarkers yielded better test characteristics to predict progression from undifferentiated arthritis (UA) to RA compared with ACPA alone. METHODS: A total of 394 individuals with UA from a Dutch population-based inception cohort were included in this study. At baseline, ACPA were measured and the PTPN22 C1858T and HLA-DRB1 genotypes determined. Progression to RA was monitored at 1 yr after entry into the cohort. RESULTS: A priori, UA patients had a 35% (95% CI 30-40%) risk of developing RA, which increased to 66% (95% CI 57-75%) in patients who were ACPA-positive. There was an additional, although non-significant (P = 0.34), increase in RA risk to 76% (95% CI 57-90%) when patients were positive for both ACPA and the PTPN22 1858T-allele. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve increased from 0.68 for ACPA-status alone to 0.70 for the combination of ACPA-status and the PTPN22 C1858T polymorphism. In logistic regression analysis, ACPA predicted RA-development independent of PTPN22, while the PTPN22 polymorphism had no independent effect. In HLA-DRB1 shared epitope positive, ACPA-positive UA patients, ACPA-levels were significantly increased in PTPN22 1858T allele carriers compared with non-1858T carriers. CONCLUSIONS: In this Dutch cohort of UA-patients, the PTPN22 1858T allele does not markedly improve individual decision-making to predict RA-development over ACPA alone, but it is associated with higher ACPA-levels.
17646921 Reduced TH-1 cytokine release in an adult patient with chronic relapsing Mycobacterium mal 2007 Jun An unusual course of infection with Mycobacterium malmoense is described in a patient receiving chronic but mild immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms mimicking Crohn's disease deteriorated under intensified immunosuppression and surgery. Judging from the patient's course under treatment specific for M. malmoense, the gastrointestinal symptoms were rather manifestations of a chronic relapsing mycobacterial infection. Detailed immunological investigation of the patient revealed a severely impaired TH-1 cytokine response as the immunological background for this uncommon course.
18214572 Purpose in life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 2008 Jul To evaluate the role of purpose in life among people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a questionnaire comprising the Purpose in Life test (PIL) and the purpose in life dimension of the Psychological Well-Being test (PWB-pil) was sent to a random sample of 300 patients with RA. Additional questions comprised sociodemographic and disease characteristics, physical, mental and social functioning, coping (Coping with rheumatic stressors questionnaire), and quality of life (RAND-36). Associations between sociodemographic and disease characteristics, physical, mental and social functioning, and coping on the one side and the two measures of purpose in life on the other side and associations between the two purpose of life measures and physical and mental dimensions of quality of life were assessed by means of univariate and multivariate regression analyses. The response rate was 156 of 300 (52%). The median PIL and PWB-pil scores were 103 (range 63-131) and 82 (41-110), respectively. A lower age, a better mental health status, and an optimistic coping style were significantly associated with both higher PIL and PWB-pil scores, whereas more participation in leisure and/or social activities was associated with a higher PIL score. It was found that the PIL and PWB-pil contributed independently and significantly to the mental component summary scale of the RAND-36. In RA patients, lower age, a better mental health status, an optimistic coping style, and participation in leisure and/or social activities were significantly associated with more sense of purpose in life. Purpose in life pays a significant and independent contribution to the mental component of quality of life. These findings highlight the significance of the concept of purpose in life in patients with RA.
17530265 [Growth factors]. 2007 Jul Growth factors such as PDGF, VEGF and TGF-beta play a pivotal role in the regulation and differentiation of different cell types in the connective tissue, for example fibroblasts and endothelial cells, and in the immune system. Pathophysiologically, these growth factors are thought to play a central role in tumorigenesis, and the use of their inhibitors has led to substantial improvements in tumor therapy. Recent findings also support an important role for growth factors in inflammatory rheumatoid diseases. New developments in the understanding and potential role of these factors in the pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases will be discussed.
16355332 Outcome of prosthetic joint infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the impact of 2006 Jan 15 BACKGROUND: Prosthetic joint infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is a serious complication of total joint arthroplasty. Little information is available on the outcome of medical and surgical treatments of prosthetic joint infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients with rheumatoid arthritis and a total hip or total knee arthroplasty infection evaluated at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) between 1 January 1969 and 31 December 1995. RESULTS: A total of 200 first episodes of prosthetic joint infection in 160 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were diagnosed during the study period. Thirty-seven percent of prosthetic joint infection episodes were due to Staphylococcus aureus. Of these episodes, 23% and 19% were treated with debridement and retention of components and 2-stage exchange, respectively. The type of surgical procedure was the only analyzed clinical variable that was associated with treatment failure (P < .001). Rates of 5-year survival free of treatment failure for patients with prosthetic joint infection episodes treated with debridement and retention of components, 2-stage exchange, and resection arthroplasty were 32% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21%-49%), 79% (95% CI, 66%-93%), and 61% (95% CI, 49%-74%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: S. aureus is the most common pathogen among patients with rheumatoid arthritis with prosthetic joint infection. Two-stage exchange was used in only 19% of the prosthetic joint infection episodes among patients with rheumatoid arthritis during the study period, but it was associated with the best outcome. The variable most strongly associated with the outcome was the type of surgical procedure.
17394231 Therapy of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: outcome of infliximab failures switched to 2007 Apr 15 OBJECTIVE: The role of alternative tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist therapies in the context of failure of initial TNF antagonist therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has yet to be clearly defined. The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of etanercept in patients who failed to respond to infliximab. METHODS: Ninety-five patients with RA who failed to respond to infliximab and methotrexate were treated with etanercept (with continuation of concomitant methotrexate). Thirty-four patients never achieved a response to infliximab (primary nonresponse), 38 had an initial response to infliximab but relapsed (secondary nonresponse), and 23 demonstrated toxicity. Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response, and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response were determined after 12 weeks of etanercept. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of etanercept, 38% of patients achieved an ACR 20% response (ACR20) on etanercept. Of these, 24% and 15% achieved ACR50 and ACR70 responses, respectively. In the primary infliximab nonresponse group, 42%, 30%, and 15% achieved ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 responses, respectively; the percentages for the secondary nonresponse group were 34%, 21%, and 14%, respectively. Significant DAS28 reductions were observed in the entire cohort and nonresponse subtype groups. Sixty-one percent of the cohort achieved either a moderate or good EULAR score (67% of primary and 56% of secondary infliximab failures). No toxicity was observed in patients who stopped infliximab due to intolerance; 19 of 23 continued etanercept after week 12. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that etanercept is effective in patients who fail to respond to infliximab and suggests a higher response in patients who have never had a response to infliximab.
17077014 [Study of the humoral immune suppression of recombinant human collagen type II peptide 250 2006 Nov AIM: To investigate the modulation of rhC II 250-270 peptide on special humoral immune response in the course of oral administration. METHODS: ELISA was used to determine antigen-specific antibodies in mice sera. The frequency of anti-C II and anti-C II (250-270) antibody-forming spleen cells was measured by ELISPOT. RESULTS: The level of C II- and C II (250-270)- specific IgG in serum from the mice fed with rhC II (250-270) were (0.82+/-0.02) and (0.84+/-0.04) respectively, and lower significantly than those of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) control group. The anti-C II (250-270) antibody responses were suppressed obviously (P<0.01). The frequency of antibody-forming cells in the spleen from rhC II (250-270)-fed mice were (158+/-9 counts/well) and (181+/-10 counts/well) respectively, and also were reduced significantly when compared with that in CIA control group (247+/-16 counts/well)(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Oral rhC II (250-270) could induce specific suppression of humoral responds in CIA. These findings together with a better understanding of the mechanisms of oral tolerance and regulation of humoral immune response in CIA, will help the development of innovative therapeutic intervention for rheumatoid arthritis.
16220290 Kynurenic acid, an endogenous constituent of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid, inhibits 2006 Mar Kynurenic acid is an antagonist of ionotropic glutamate receptors. It has been found that glutamate antagonists inhibit proliferation of different human tumor cells. Since the hyperplasia of synovial fibroblasts is one of the most striking features of inflammatory arthritis, the main goals of this study were detection and quantification of kynurenic acid in synovial fluid obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and determination of its effect on proliferation of synoviocytes in vitro. Presence of kynurenic acid was determined by HPLC in all 58 samples of synovial fluid. The mean concentration was 15.89 pmol/ml. Kynurenic acid inhibited synoviocyte proliferation with the IC50 value of 5.9 mM. In subthreshold concentration of 0.3 mM it enhanced antiproliferative action of celecoxib and nimesulide. In conclusion, the presence of kynurenic acid in synovial fluid was documented in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Its potential role as an endogenous substance, controlling synoviocyte proliferation can be suggested.
18635596 Anti-inflammatory therapy with tumour necrosis factor alpha inhibitors improves high-densi 2009 Jun OBJECTIVE: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) antiatherogenic functions seem to be diminished during inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibition on the antioxidative capacity of HDL in RA. METHODS: Plasma lipids and paraoxonase (PON-1) activity were investigated in 45 RA patients, before and during 6 months of anti-TNF therapy. In addition, HDL was isolated and tested for its ability to inhibit copper-induced oxidation of low-density lipoprotein in vitro. RESULTS: Plasma HDL concentrations did not change considerably after 6 months of therapy. However, stable increases of PON-1 activities were observed throughout the same period (p<0.03). The increases were more obvious when related to HDL or apolipoprotein AI concentrations. HDL total antioxidative capacity significantly improved 6 months after the initiation of anti-TNF therapy (p = 0.015). The initial improvement of PON-1 activity paralleled a decrease in the inflammatory status, whereas specific TNF blockade was likely to be responsible for the long-term effects. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-TNF therapy with infliximab has beneficial effects on lipids through changes in HDL antioxidative capacity, which might be clinically relevant and contribute to the reported protective effect of anti-TNF on cardiovascular morbidity in RA. This emphasises the importance of HDL antiatherogenic capacity for cardiovascular risk in chronic inflammatory conditions.
16467034 A two-year follow-up of work capacity in early rheumatoid arthritis: a study of multidisci 2006 Jan OBJECTIVE: To explore changes in sick leave patterns and work ability in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patients received active team support focusing on vocational rehabilitation, in addition to treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). METHODS: This is an observational study of 110 patients with early RA aged 18-60 years and not permanently disabled. All patients were monitored regularly during a 2-year period by a team comprising a nurse, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, a rheumatologist, and a social worker. Intervention included work-site visits and rehabilitation meetings with the employer and the official from the local social insurance office in addition to DMARD treatment and different individual treatments, and support from the team members. RESULTS: The number of patients working full-time increased from 65 to 74 (14%), those with full-time work disability decreased from 37 to 13 (65%), and patients working part-time increased from 8 to 23 (65%). This change was already evident during the first year. CONCLUSION: Active vocational support in addition to DMARD treatment may prevent or delay work disability in patients with early RA.
18668537 Power Doppler ultrasonographic monitoring of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor therap 2008 Aug OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validity, responsiveness, and predictive value of power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) monitoring of response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocking agents in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Three hundred sixty-seven RA patients were prospectively recruited at 25 Spanish centers; complete clinical, laboratory, and PDUS data were obtained on 278 patients. The patients underwent clinical, laboratory, and PDUS assessment at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of anti-TNF treatment, and radiographic assessment of the hands and feet at baseline and 12 months. The Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) was recorded at each visit. PDUS examination included 86 intraarticular and periarticular sites in 28 joints. US synovial fluid (SF), synovial hypertrophy (SH), and PD signal were scored in all synovial sites. US count and index for SF, SH, and PD signal were obtained. Sensitivity to change of the PDUS variables was assessed by estimating the smallest detectable difference (SDD) from the intraobserver variability. RESULTS: A significant parallel improvement in DAS28 and PDUS parameters was found at followup assessment (P < 0.0005 for within-subject between-visit changes). The SDD for PDUS parameters was lower than the mean changes throughout followup. Time-integrated values of US joint count for PD signal and rheumatoid factor (RF) showed predictive value in relation to progression of radiographic erosion (R = 0.64), and time-integrated values of US joint count for PD signal, RF, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were predictors of progression of the total radiographic score (R = 0.59). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that PDUS is a valid method for monitoring response to anti-TNF therapy in RA; results obtained by PDUS are reproducible and sensitive to change. PDUS findings may have predictive value in relation to radiologic outcome.
18303125 Pharmacokinetics and biological activity of atacicept in patients with rheumatoid arthriti 2008 Apr Atacicept is a recombinant fusion protein containing the extracellular ligand-binding portion of the transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI, CD267) receptor and inhibits B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS, CD257) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL, CD256), both potent stimulators of B cell maturation, proliferation, and survival. Atacicept pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase I study in patients with active, moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis receiving atacicept either as a single subcutaneous or repeated, every other week dose. Pharmacokinetic profiles were determined by measuring serum concentrations of free atacicept and its complex with BLyS. Nonspecific immunoglobulin (Ig)M, IgG, and IgA; IgM-RF (rheumatoid factor), IgG-RF, and IgA-RF antibody levels; and B cell profiles provided markers of biological activity. Pharmacokinetic, biological activity, and relationships between atacicept dose and Ig antibody response were evaluated. Pharmacokinetic profiles of atacicept were nonlinear, influenced by saturable binding with its ligands, but were consistent and predictable. Atacicept treatment reduced Ig and RF serum concentration. IgM antibody levels were most sensitive to atacicept, followed by IgA and IgG, underlining the biological activity of atacicept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These findings can be used to explore dosing regimen design scenarios in future studies.
16947382 Up-regulated transforming growth factor beta-inducible gene h3 in rheumatoid arthritis med 2006 Sep OBJECTIVE: To delineate the expression of transforming growth factor beta-inducible gene h3 (betaIG-H3) in rheumatoid synovitis and to determine the regulatory role of betaIG-H3 in the adhesion and migration of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). METHODS: Synovial tissue was obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during joint replacement surgery, and FLS were isolated using enzymatic treatment. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to show the expression of betaIG-H3 within rheumatoid synovium. Synthesis of betaIG-H3 from FLS was determined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell adhesion and migration assays were performed using the YH18 peptide in the fourth fas-1 domain of betaIG-H3 and function-blocking antibodies to integrins. RESULTS: Expression of betaIG-H3 was up-regulated in RA synovial tissue compared with synovial tissue from patients with osteoarthritis. FLS isolated from RA synovial tissue constitutively produced betaIG-H3, which was up-regulated by transforming growth factor beta1, interleukin-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Although FLS expressed a variety of integrins, betaIG-H3 mediated adhesion and migration of FLS through interaction with alpha v beta3 integrin. Cytokines failed to affect the betaIG-H3-mediated adhesion. However, migration of FLS guided by betaIG-H3 was enhanced by interferon-gamma and platelet-derived growth factor type BB. The YH18 peptide in the fourth fas-1 domain of betaIG-H3 inhibited adhesion and migration in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that betaIG-H3, which is abundantly expressed in RA synovial tissue, plays a regulatory role in chronic destructive inflammation through the modulation of the adhesion and migration of FLS. This finding indicates the relevance of betaIG-H3 and alpha v beta3 integrin-interacting motifs as potential therapeutic targets in this disease.