title: Clinical significance of interleukin-32 expression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical significance of interleukin (IL)-32 in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and analyze the correlations of IL-32 with C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and rheumatoid factor (RF).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 97 patients with RA and 36 patients with non-RA connective tissue diseases (CTD) were included. The mRNA levels of IL-32 and TNF-α in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The plasma concentrations of IL-32 and TNF-α were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Spearman's method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA levels of IL-32 and TNF-α in the active RA groups were significantly higher than those in the healthy control, stable RA, and non-RA CTD groups (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the stable RA, healthy control, and non-RA CTD groups (P > 0.05). The concentrations of IL-32 and TNF-α in the active RA groups were significantly higher than those in the stable RA and control groups (P < 0.01). IL-32 expression was positively correlated with TNF-α, ESR, CRP, RF, and DAS28 in patients with RA (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The levels of IL-32 and TNF-α in the peripheral blood of patients with active RA are significantly higher than in that of patients with stable RA and healthy people. The IL-32 level in peripheral blood may provide a reference for the detection of RA activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kuangbiao
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C496971:IL32 protein, human; D007378:Interleukins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha