Synovial fluid cytokine levels in Behçet's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the synovial fluid levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2r) and IL-8 in patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and to compare them to levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and osteoarthritis (OA).


METHODS
The cytokine levels of BD (n = 14), RA (n = 15) and OA (n = 15) patients were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent method.


RESULTS
Median synovial IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha levels were higher in RA compared to BD and OA patients. IL-1 beta levels were also higher in BD than OA whereas TNF levels were similar in these two groups. IL-1ra and TGF-beta activity in BD were higher than OA but lower than RA. sIL-2r and IL-8 levels were increased in BD and RA in comparison to OA patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The arthritis of BD is non-erosive and accordingly, its synovial fluid contains lower levels of cytokines primarily involved in cartilage destruction, namely IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha, than RA. IL-1ra and TGF might serve as protective factors against erosion in the inflamed joints. High synovial fluid levels of sIL-2r and IL-8 probably reflect a non-specific inflammatory process.
Ertenli
I
I
Department of Rheumatology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. ermanm@tr.net
Kiraz
S
S
Calgüneri
M
M
Celik
I
I
Erman
M
M
Haznedaroglu
I C
IC
Kirazli
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000276:immunology; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D016209:Interleukin-8; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha