title: Expression and citrullination of keratin in synovial tissue of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Keratin is the main component of cellular intermediate filaments, and its post-translational modification plays an important role in cell differentiation and apoptosis, as well as disease states. The conversion of peptidylarginine to citrulline, termed citrullination, is particularly involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Immunohistochemistry using an antibody mixture that broadly recognized various keratin forms detected cytokeratin in many cells in the area lining the synovial membrane of RA. Furthermore, double immuno-florescent labeling showed that the cells expressing cytokeratin were also positive for citrulline when they were in the vicinity of extracellular deposits or approached the exterior of the synovial membrane. Western blot analysis demonstrated citrullination of keratin purified from RA synovial tissue by immuno-precipitation. The above results indicate the presence of citrullinated cytokeratin in synovial membranes in RA.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Bio-Drugs of Ministry of Health, Research Center for Medicinal Biotechnology, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250062 Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China. changxt@sdams.cn
authors.forename: Xiaotian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.forename: Xinfeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002956:Citrulline / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002956:Citrulline; D007633:Keratins