title: [Determination of the concentrations of interleukin-18 and other cytokines in the synovial fluid in patients with osteoarthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the concentrations of interleukin-18 (IL-18), IL-6, IL-8, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the synovial fluid in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and explore the role of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of OA.
  
  
  METHODS
  The synovial fluid was collected from 30 patients with knee OA, and the concentrations of IL-18 and the other cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A linear regression was performed between IL-18 and the other cytokines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average IL-18 and PGE2 concentrations were 220-/+304 pg/ml and 89-/+104 pg/ml in the synovial fluid, respectively, and the two cytokines showed a positive correlation in the synovial fluid (r=0.628, P=0.001). The IL-18 concentration was also correlated to the concentrations of IL-6 (1200-/+1587 pg/ml, n=22; r=0.590, P=0.008) and IL-8 (5190-/+6024 pg/ml, n=9; r=0.776, P=0.014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-18 can promote PGE2 production, which causes cartilage degradation in OA, thus therapies targeting this cytokine may prove an effective approach to early OA treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: De-hong
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Feng-long
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhong-xuan
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D015232:Dinoprostone