title: Expression of the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with acute Charcot neuroarthropathy.
abstract: Introduction.The receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB (RANK), ligand (RANK-L) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) are implicated in the pathogenesis of acute Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN).Materials and Methods.This study aimed to investigate the expression of RANK-L and OPG in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with acute CN.Results.We found that the expression of RANK-L was lower in patients with acute CN as compared with diabetic control subjects and healthy control participants; whereas OPG expression was not detected in patients and in both control groups. RANK-L expression at the onset of disease was inversely correlated with the index of polyunsaturation (PUI), a bone marrow MRS-derived measurable index that allows evaluation of disease activity in acute CN, and recovery time. Finally, the expression of RANK-L increased at the time of healing compared with the values found during the acute phase.Conclusions.In conclusion, our preliminary data provide a first step in applying analysis of RANK-L expression in peripheral blood cells to the diagnosis of acute CN. Based on our data we also suggest that analysis of RANK-L expression could be a complementary tool that can be employed to obtain quantitative parameters that may help clinicians to monitor disease activity in patients with acute CN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Unit, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy Department of Public Health and Cellular Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergamini
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolacchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Unit, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy Department of Public Health and Cellular Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina Delfina
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Pesce
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Unit, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy Department of Public Health and Cellular Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veneziano
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Uccioli
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Corato
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Mondillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Molecular Imaging, Radiation Therapy and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Squillaci
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle; D001177:Arthropathy, Neurogenic / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000378:metabolism*; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human
keywords: Charcot neuroarthropathy; peripheral blood cells.; receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB