title: Decreased peripheral blood T cell cytokine gene expression in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Currently, few informations are available about spontaneous production of T cell cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) peripheral blood (PB), because these cytokines are generally under the detection threshold of ELISAs. Because the Th1/Th2 balance could help to determine the outcome of RA, we used a sensitive and quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method to mesure spontaneous T cell production of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma mRNAs using unstimulated PBMC from 25 active RA patients, not taking any DMARDs for at least 6 weeks, and 19 healthy controls. Spontaneous IL-2 and IL-4 mRNA expressions are significantly lower in RA patients compared to healthy controls. Levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma are similar in the two groups. No correlation was found between cytokine mRNA levels and clinical parameters. Spontaneous IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA levels are respectively correlated to the number of CD4+ T cells and to the number of monocytes in PB. After in vitro stimulation, IFN-gamma mRNA production by RA PBMC is significantly decreased. Most of the patients cannot be classified as having a T cell cytokine type 1 or type 2 secretion pattern in PB. IL-2 and IL-4 mRNAs in PB of active RA are produced at a low spontaneous level and the response to in vitro activation by mitogen is weak.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 395, Hôpital Purpan, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loubet-Lescoulié
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Constantin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazières
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tkaczuk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Préval
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cantagrel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma