Interleukin-6 in synovial fluid from patients with arthritis.
Synovial fluid and serum from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, other inflammatory arthritides, and traumatic arthritis were assayed for the presence of interleukin-6 (IL-6) by means of an IL-6-dependent mouse hybridoma cell line. The cytokine was detected in all the samples of synovial fluid (range 50-22000 U/ml). IL-6 in synovial fluid was positively correlated (r = 0.58, P = 0.03) with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with inflammatory arthritis. In serum, the concentration of IL-6 was slightly elevated in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results demonstrate that IL-6 is released into synovial fluid in joints affected by arthritis, and there appears to be an association between the levels of IL-6 and disease activity.
Cell Research Laboratory, University of Trondheim, Norway.
A
A
Waage
C
C
Kaufmann
T
T
Espevik
G
G
Husby
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000032:analysis*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins