Basal and stimulated elastolytic activity of blood monocytes is increased in glucocorticoid-treated giant cell arteritis.
The elastolytic capacity of live human blood monocytes was studied in patients with giant cell arteritis (GA) and in age-matched controls. Despite normalized acute-phase reactants during glucocorticoid (GC) therapy, the basic activity of monocytes from patients with newly diagnosed GA was elevated compared with controls (80 vs. 39 ng/h, p less than or equal to 0.01). The maximum response was enhanced by stimulation with immune complexes (224 vs. 125 ng/h, p less than or equal to 0.01) and with phorbol myristic acetate (324 vs. 214 ng/h, p less than or equal to 0.01). No age difference was found between healthy young and old people. Cell surface related human monocyte elastolytic activity could act as a sensitive marker of cell activation in vivo.
Department of Medicine F, Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
H S
HS
Jensen
H H
HH
Mogensen
A G
AG
Mikkelsen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003907:Dexamethasone; D011239:Prednisolone; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase