title: Mitochondrial depolarisation and oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate mitochondrial membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation and cytotoxicity in peripheral lymphocytes (PL) from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  South African black RA patients (HIV(-)) were recruited into the study. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsi(m)) was analysed in PL using the JC-1 dye distribution assay and flow cytometry. Correlations between Deltapsi(m) and clinical parameters were tested for statistical significance. Cytotoxicity (LDH) and lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)) was also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings show significantly elevated levels of cytotoxicity (p=0.0029) and lipid peroxidation (p=0.0030) in RA. A significantly higher percentage of circulating PL contained depolarised mitochondria (p=0.0003) which correlated with disease activity and C-reactive protein levels in patients. Collapse of Deltapsi(m) also negatively correlated to absolute lymphocyte counts (r=-0.4041; p=0.0197).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest a possible role for mitochondrial membrane alterations in the pathology of RA.
authors.affiliation: Disciplines of Medical Biochemistry, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag 7, Congella 4013 Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Devapragasan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moodley
authors.forename: Girish
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.forename: Neeta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Anil A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chuturgoon
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002232:Carbocyanines; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D002232:Carbocyanines; C068624:5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolocarbocyanine; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase