Suppression of human cartilage proteoglycan synthesis by rheumatoid synovial fluid mononuclear cells activated with mycobacterial 60-kd heat-shock protein.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether T cell reactivity toward heat-shock proteins (HSP) contributes to cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
An in vitro system was used, in which human cartilage explants were cocultured with hsp60-activated synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMC) from patients with RA, and proteoglycan (PG) synthesis was measured.


RESULTS
The hsp60-activated SFMC suppressed cartilage PG synthesis. This effect was dependent on the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha).


CONCLUSIONS
Mycobacterial 60-kd heat-shock protein can activate rheumatoid SFMC to suppress human cartilage PG synthesis. This suppression is mediated by IL-1 and TNF alpha.
Wilbrink
B
B
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Holewijn
M
M
Bijlsma
J W
JW
van Roy
J L
JL
den Otter
W
W
van Eden
W
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000737:chemistry; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha