Plasma levels of IL-37 and correlation with TNF-α, IL-17A, and disease activity during DMARD treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
The aim of this study was to assess the change of IL-37 concentrations in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy, and to establish a correlation between Interleukin-37 and pro-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and disease activity. The plasma level of IL-37 was determined using ELISA in 50 newly diagnosed RA patients and 30 healthy controls (HC). Plasma levels of IL-17A, IL-6 and TNF-α were measured using flow a cytometric bead array assay. We found that the concentrations of IL-37, as well as IL-17A, IL-6 and TNF-α, were higher in plasma of RA patients compared to HCs. Compared to patients who did not respond to DMARD treatment, treatment of patients responsive to DMARDs resulted in down-regulation of IL-17A, IL-6 and TNF-α expression. The plasma level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-37 was also decreased in drug responders after DMARD treatment. The plasma level of IL-37 in RA patients was positively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-17A, TNF-α) and disease activity (CRP, DAS28) in RA patients. IL-37 expression in RA and during DMARD treatment appears to be controlled by the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This results in a strong correlation between plasma levels of IL-37 and disease activity in RA patients.
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Ping-Wei
PW
Zhao
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Wei-Guang
WG
Jiang
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Li
L
Wang
Department of Rheumatism, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Zhen-Yu
ZY
Jiang
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Yu-Xing
YX
Shan
Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Yan-Fang
YF
Jiang
D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; C508587:IL37 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D007375:Interleukin-1; D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha