title: Influence of antirheumatic drugs on nitric oxide and interleukin 8 production in human articular chondrocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether antirheumatic drugs can inhibit chondrocyte nitric oxide and interleukin 8 (IL-8) production.
  
  
  METHODS
  IL-1beta stimulated human chondrocytes were incubated with indomethacin, methotrexate, sulfasalazine, dexamethasone, and methylprednisolone. Nitric oxide was detected as nitrite; IL-8 was detected by a radioimmunoassay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nitric oxide production was partly (< or = 50%) inhibited and IL-8 almost completely suppressed (> 80%) by dexamethasone and methylprednisolone. Sulfasalazine in pharmacological concentration and indomethacin slightly increased IL-8. No effect of methotrexate on nitric oxide or IL-8 production was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dexamethasone and methylprednisolone are inhibitors of human chondrocyte nitric oxide production, although to a lesser extent than for IL-8 production. Indomethacin, sulfasalazine, and methotrexate had no major influence on these mediators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: De Gendt
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: De Clerck
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bridts
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verbruggen
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D016209:Interleukin-8; D009569:Nitric Oxide