Proinflammatory soluble interleukin-15 receptor alpha is increased in rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease in which many cytokines have been implicated. In particular, IL-15 is a cytokine involved in the inflammatory processes and bone loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence in synovial fluid of soluble IL-15Rα, a private receptor subunit for IL-15 which may act as an enhancer of IL-15-induced proinflammatory cytokines. Soluble IL-15Rα was quantified by a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in samples of synovial fluid from patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA). The levels of IL-15Rα were significantly increased in RA patients compared to OA patients. Also, we studied the presence of membrane-bound IL-15 in cells from synovial fluids, another element necessary to induce pro-inflammatory cytokines through reverse signaling. Interestingly, we found high levels of IL-6 related to high levels of IL-15Rα in RA but not in OA. Thus, our results evidenced presence of IL-15Rα in synovial fluids and suggested that its pro-inflammatory effect could be related to induction of IL-6.
Pharmaceutical Division, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, 10600 Havana, Cuba.
Ana Cecilia
AC
Machado Diaz
Araceli
A
Chico Capote
Celia Aurora
CA
Arrieta Aguero
Yunier
Y
Rodríguez Alvarez
Diana
D
García Del Barco Herrera
Miguel
M
Estévez Del Toro
Gerardo E
GE
Guillen Nieto
Alicia
A
Santos Savio