title: Laboratory Indicators of Aggrecan Turnover in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of chondroitin sulfate (CS), as an early marker of aggrecan degradation, and chondroitin sulfate 846 epitope (CS846), as a biomarker of CS synthesis, is an attempt at answering the question whether the therapy used in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients contributes to the normalization of biochemical changes in aggrecan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of CS and CS846 as well as catalase (CT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in erythrocyte were assessed in patients before and after treatment. In the course of JIA, aggrecan metabolism is disturbed, which is reflected by a decrease (p < 0.001) in CS serum level and an increase (p < 0.05) in CS846 concentration. Furthermore, increased (p < 0.001) activities of CT, SOD, and GPx in untreated JIA patients were recorded. The anti-inflammatory treatment resulted in the normalization of CS846 level and SOD and GPx activities. In untreated patients, we have revealed a significant correlation between serum CS and CS846, CT, CRP, ESR, MMP-3, and ADAMTS-4, respectively, as well as between CS846 and CT, GPx, CRP, ESR, and TGF-β1, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed changes of CS and CS846 in JIA patients indicate a further need of the therapy continuation aimed at protecting a patient from a possible disability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Ulica Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Winsz-Szczotka
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Ulica Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: Kornelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuźnik-Trocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Ulica Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komosińska-Vassev
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Ulica Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jura-Półtorak
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Ulica Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Olczyk
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D053674:Aggrecans / Q000378:metabolism*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000097:blood; D000939:Epitopes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C508319:ACAN protein, human; D053674:Aggrecans; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000939:Epitopes; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase