[Human cartilage glycoprotein 39 mRNA expression in peripheral blood and synovium mononuclear cells in rheumatoid arthritis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of human cartilage glycoprotein 39 (HC gp-39) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and synovium of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.


METHODS
Levels of HC gp-39 mRNA were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in PBMC of 31 patients with RA, 6 with osteoarthritis (OA), 10 with spondylarthropathy (SpA), 5 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and of 10 healthy controls. Levels of HC gp-39 mRNA were also detected in synovium of 7 patients with RA and 5 with OA. The expression of HC gp-39 was semi-quatificated by HC gp-39/tubulin ratio.


RESULTS
HC gp-39 mRNA expression in PBMC was increased in RA patients (the HC gp-39/tubulin ratio was 0.8690 +/- 0.5240), compared with OA (P = 0.024), SpA (P = 0.049), SLE (P = 0.043) and with healthy control subjects (P = 0.033). There were no statistically significant differences among OA, SpA, SLE and healthy controls. The level of HC gp-39 mRNA expression in RA synovium was also significantly higher than the level found in OA (P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
HC gp-39 mRNA was obviously overrepresented in RA patients PBMC and synovium. These data support a possible pathogenic role of HC gp-39, as a candidate autoantigen, in the autoimmune response of RA.
Shen
Min
M
Department of Rheumatism and Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Zeng
Xue-jun
XJ
Tang
Fu-lin
FL
D054392:Adipokines; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*
D054392:Adipokines; C084533:CHI3L1 protein, human; D000071451:Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; D006023:Glycoproteins; D037102:Lectins; D012333:RNA, Messenger