title: Membrane glucocorticoid receptor expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of membrane glucocorticoid receptors (mGCR) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We used high sensitivity immunofluorescence with magnetofluorescent liposomes for the detection of mGCR on PBMC from patients with AS (n = 26) and healthy controls (n = 11).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of mGCR+ monocytes and B lymphocytes was significantly higher in patients with AS than in controls (monocytes 12.5 +/- 9.9% vs 4.8 +/- 1.4%, B lymphocytes 8.7 +/- 6.3% vs 4.4 +/- 3.6%). We did not find mGCR on T lymphocytes. The frequency of mGCR+ cells did not correlate with variables of AS disease activity [C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), BASDAI 6, or numerical rating scales].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  mGCR are upregulated in monocytes and B lymphocytes of patients with AS. This upregulation does not correlate with the humoral or overall disease activity. mGCR are not present on T lymphocytes. Our findings may be related to the limited benefit of low-dose and the efficacy of high-dose (intravenous pulse or intraarticular) glucocorticoid treatment in AS. Drugs binding selectively to mGCR may be a new therapeutic option for AS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité University Hospital, Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anita B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Tryc
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Spies
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kunkel
authors.forename: Timea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berki
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sieper
authors.forename: Gerd-Rüdiger
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Burmester
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheffold
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buttgereit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid