title: Circulating cytokine profiles and their relationships with autoantibodies, acute phase reactants, and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Our objective was to analyse the relationship between circulating cytokines, autoantibodies, acute phase reactants, and disease activity in DMARDs-naïve rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (n = 140). All cytokines were significantly higher in the RA cohort than in healthy controls. Moderate-to-strong positive intercorrelations were observed between Th1/Th2/macrophage/fibroblast-derived cytokines. RF correlated significantly with IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, and TNF (P < .0001), and aCCP and aMCV with IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 (P < .0002), while IL-6 correlated best with the acute phase reactants, CRP, and SAA (P < .0001). In patients with a DAS28 score of ≥5.1, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, TNF, GM-CSF, and VEGF were significantly correlated (P < .04-.001) with high disease activity (HDA). Circulating cytokines in RA reflect a multifaceted increase in immune reactivity encompassing Th1 and Th2 cells, monocytes/macrophages, and synovial fibroblasts, underscored by strong correlations between these cytokines, as well as their relationships with RF, aCCP, and aMCV, with some cytokines showing promise as biomarkers of HDA.
authors: Medical Research Council Unit for Inflammation and Immunity, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and National Health Laboratory Service-Tshwane Academic Division, P.O. Box 2034, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
authors: Pieter W A
authors: PW
authors: Meyer
authors: Bridget
authors: B
authors: Hodkinson
authors: Mahmood
authors: M
authors: Ally
authors: Eustasius
authors: E
authors: Musenge
authors: Ahmed A
authors: AA
authors: Wadee
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Fickl
authors: Mohammed
authors: M
authors: Tikly
authors: Ronald
authors: R
authors: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D001323:Autoantibodies; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins