Immune activation in the small intestine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether inflammation in the gut associated immune system is activated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The expression of chemokine receptor- (CCR4, CCR5) and cytokine- (interleukin (IL)2, IL10, interferon gamma (IFNgamma), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta)) specific mRNA in intestinal biopsy samples from patients with RA was examined.


METHODS
Duodenal biopsy samples from 13 patients with RA and 15 control subjects were studied. The mRNA expression of CCR4, CCR5, IL2, IL10, IFNgamma, TNFalpha, and TGFbeta in intestinal biopsy samples was demonstrated by real time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
The mRNA expression of CCR4, CCR5, and IL10 in intestinal biopsy samples was increased in patients with RA in comparison with control subjects (p = 0.001, p = 0.046, p = 0.019). No difference in the expression levels of IL2, IFNgamma, TNFalpha, or TGFbeta was seen between patients with RA and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased intestinal mRNA expression of IL10, CCR5, and CCR4 suggests that gut associated immune cells are activated in patients with RA.
Nissinen
R
R
National Public Health Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum, PO Box 104, 00251 Helsinki, Finland. riikka.nissinen@ktl.fi
Leirisalo-Repo
M
M
Nieminen
A M
AM
Halme
L
L
Färkkilä
M
M
Palosuo
T
T
Vaarala
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004386:Duodenum / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005773:Gastroscopy; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology
C515354:CCR4 protein, human; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D016753:Interleukin-10