Localisation of interleukin 8 in the synovial membrane, cartilage-pannus junction and chondrocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.
Interleukin-8 (IL-8) may play an important role in the development of synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in that it is a powerful chemoattractant for neutrophils and T cells. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of IL-8 in the synovial membrane and cartilage, from RA, osteoarthritis (OA) and normal joints. By immunohistochemical techniques, IL-8 was shown to be present in the lining layer cells in RA (87%) and in OA (62%). By contrast, only a few of the normal synovial lining layer cells (14%) contained IL-8. Deeper in the membrane the number of IL-8 positive cells decreased. Only vessels were highly positive for IL-8. At the RA cartilage-pannus junction 26% of the cells contained IL-8, whereas at the OA cartilage-pannus junction 8% of the cells were IL-8 positive (P < 0.05). Chondrocytes present in joint surface cartilage stained positive for IL-8 in an average of 20% of the cells of both RA and OA. These results provide histological evidence that IL-8 is present in the arthritic synovial tissue and cartilage, and is distributed in a manner that may form a chemotactic gradient, which favours localisation of neutrophils to the joint lumen.
Deleuran
B
B
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Aarhus, Denmark.
Lemche
P
P
Kristensen
M
M
Chu
C Q
CQ
Field
M
M
Jensen
J
J
Matsushima
K
K
Stengaard-Pedersen
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007596:Joints / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D016209:Interleukin-8