Decreased PERP expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patient with rheumatoid arthritis negatively correlates with disease activity.
BACKGROUND
PERP, p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP-22, is a p53-dependent apoptosis in diverse cell types and has cell type-specific roles in p53-mediated apoptosis. However, its role in PBMCs of RA patients has remained largely unclear.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to detect the expression levels of PERP on PBMCs of RA patients and healthy controls and analyze the role of PERP in the pathogenesis of RA. Methods. The mRNA expression levels of PERP and IL-17 were detected by real-time PCR in PBMCs from patients with RA (n = 40) and healthy controls (n = 40). The correlations of PERP expression levels to IL-17 transcripts and disease activity parameters were analyzed.


RESULTS
The PERP and IL-17 expression levels in the PBMCs were significantly decreased and increased in comparison of which in healthy controls. The mRNA expression levels of PERP in PBMCs from patients with RA were negatively correlated with IL-17 and disease activity parameters DAS28, RF, CRP, and ESR rather than Anti-CCP and ANA.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrated that PERP might be involved in the pathogenesis and a potential therapeutic target of RA by regulating the expression of IL-17.
The First Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China.
Yanchun
Y
Du
Lin
L
Deng
Yan
Y
Li
Lu
L
Gan
Yantang
Y
Wang
Guixiu
G
Shi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D020381:Interleukin-17; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C416404:PERP protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger