title: Effect of methotrexate on inflammatory cells redistribution in experimental adjuvant arthritis.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes in the spleen, the thymus and the knee joints of rats with experimental adjuvant arthritis induced by Mycobacterium butyricum in the incomplete Freund's adjuvant and the effect of treatment with methotrexate (MTX). Particular attention was aimed on the redistribution of granulocytes in the tissues during the inflammatory process. Clinical parameters, e.g., joint edema, body weight and of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity as an inflammatory marker, have also been determined. Induction of adjuvant arthritis caused a significant decrease in granulocyte number in the spleen and vice versa a significant increase in the knee joints, but without significant changes in the thymus. Treatment with methotrexate reversed this phenomenon by increasing the granulocyte number in the spleen and decreasing it in knee joints. MTX decreased the joint edema as well as the activity of GGT in the spleen, modified the size of the white pulp of the spleen and increased the cortex/medulla ratio in the thymus. The observed changes support the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of MTX supporting its use as the first-line medication in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 813 72 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. lucia.feketeova@fmed.uniba.sk
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feketeová
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jančová
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moravcová
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janegová
authors.forename: Katarína
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bauerová
authors.forename: Silvester
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poništ
authors.forename: Danica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mihalová
authors.forename: Pavol
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janega
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Babál
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D008727:Methotrexate
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