High serum and synovial fluid granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between serum G-CSF, RA disease activity and the levels of inflammatory cytokines.


METHODS
Sixty-one patients (5 men and 56 women; mean age; 56.1 +/- 11.4 [+/- SD] years, range, 22-70 years) who were selected at random and met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA were examined. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) levels in sera and synovial fluid were measured by solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA). We also measured various indices of RA disease activity and serum levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha by ELISA.


RESULTS
The morning stiffness, number of tender or swollen joints, ESR, Lansbury index and serum G-CSF levels in patients with active RA were significantly higher than the corresponding levels in patients with inactive RA. Serum G-CSF levels correlated significantly with morning stiffness, the number of tender or swollen joints and the Lansbury index. However, there was no correlation between serum G-CSF and ESR. High levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were detected in RA patients. The number of tender or swollen joints, ESR, Lansbury index, and IL-1 beta were significantly higher in G-CSF-positive RA patients than in G-CSF-negative RA patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that G-CSF produced by synovial cells stimulated by inflammatory cytokines might contribute to inflammatory arthritis in RA patients.
Nakamura
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Sasebo Chuo Hospital, Sasebo, Japan.
Ueki
Y
Y
Sakito
S
S
Matsumoto
K
K
Yano
M
M
Miyake
S
S
Tominaga
T
T
Tominaga
M
M
Eguchi
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*
D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor