title: Enhanced interleukin 1 generation by monocytes in vitro is temporally linked to an early event in the onset or exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Twenty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 12 age and sex matched healthy controls were examined for the ability of their monocytes (adherent cells, AC) to spontaneously secrete interleukin 1 (IL-1) and for their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to secrete interleukin 2 (IL-2) induced by Staphylococcal Protein A (SPA). All RA patients had PBMC which secreted normal amounts of mitogen induced IL-2 regardless of disease activity or disease history. However, AC from RA patients who had a recent (less than 6 months) onset of their disease, or exacerbation of existing RA, had enhanced spontaneous IL-1 secretion. AC from patients with equally active RA but with historically stable disease generated normal amounts of IL-1. Enhanced in vitro IL-1 generation by circulating monocytes is temporally linked to an early event in the onset of exacerbation of RA.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011112:Polymyxin B / Q000494:pharmacology; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; D011112:Polymyxin B