Interleukin-21 (IL-21) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of our study was to assess serum levels of IL-21 in patients with recent-onset RA in relation to disease activity and response to treatment. We analyzed serum levels of IL-21 in 51 RA patients, both before and 12 weeks after the initiation of treatment and in 36 healthy individuals. Disease activity was assessed at baseline and at weeks 12 and 24 using the Disease Activity Score for 28 joints, serum levels of C-reactive protein, and the total swollen joint count. We found that IL-21 levels were not increased in patients with recent-onset RA compared with healthy controls, but they had significantly decreased from baseline to week 12 during treatment. Baseline levels of IL-21 significantly correlated with measures of disease activity (p<0.02 for all). Although IL-21 levels did not predict achievement of remission, decrease in IL-21 levels correlated with improvement in disease activity after 12 weeks (p<0.02) and also after 24 weeks (p<0.04) of treatment. Our data suggest that circulating IL-21 levels may serve as a biomarker of disease activity and better outcome in early phase of RA., O. Sglunda, H. F. Mann, H. Hulejová, O. Pecha, L. Pleštilová, O. Růžičková, M. Fojtíková, O. Šléglová, Š. Forejtová, K. Pavelka, J. Vencovský, L. Šenolt., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) has been recently characterized as a new adipokine. The aim of this study was to assess FGF-21 levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and to study the relationship between FGF-21, disease activity and metabolic status. The levels of FGF- 21 in serum and synovial fluid samples from 38 patients with RA and 42 control individuals with OA were determined by ELISA. Patients were assessed for disease activity using the disease activity score (DAS28), a serum glucose and lipid profile. Age, sex and BMI-adjusted FGF-21 levels in the serum (p=0.024) and synovial fluid (p=0.010) samples were significantly higher in patients with RA when compared with OA. The levels of FGF-21 in the serum significantly correlated with the levels in the synovial fluid. Serum and synovial fluid FGF-21 levels adjusted for confounders correlated positively with C-reactive protein. The levels of FGF-21 were positively correlated with BMI in patients with RA; however, the levels were not associated with disease activity or lipid profiles. Furthermore, serum FGF-21 levels were significantly higher in seropositive compared with seronegative RA patients. This work shows that patients with seropositive RA have increased levels of FGF-21. The results suggest that FGF-21 is related to BMI but not disease activity or lipid profiles in patients with RA., H. Hulejová ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Materials on the basis of cycloolefin copolymers (COC) are suitable for subchondral defect repairs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of surface modification of COC and COC/LLDPE blends on the viability and gene expression of chondrocytes. Human chondrocytes were incubated on the surface of the studied materials. Half of the materials were plasmatically modified with a subsequent type II collagen application. The gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1,-3,-13), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, TNF-alpha) and apoptotic molecules (BAX, Bcl-2) was evaluated using quantitative Taq-Man PCR after 48 h incubation. Chondrocyte viability was evaluated by the MTT test after 2, 4 and 8 days of incubation. The synthesis of MMPs was measured by ELISA assay in cell culture medium after 48 h of incubation. Chondrocytes incubated on plasmatically modified in contrast to unmodified materials demonstrated significantly increased gene expression of IL-1 (p<0.05), MMP-1 and MMP-3 (p<0.05 for both comparisons) as well as MMP-13 (p<0.001). Increased gene expression was confirmed by significantly increased production of active forms of particular MMPs into the cell culture medium. Unlike surface unmodified polymers, the modified materials showed timedependent reduction of chondrocyte viability. The gene expression of TNF-α and apoptotic molecules by chondrocytes was not significantly changed by different materials. Cycloolefin copolymers and their blends may represent suitable materials for tissue engineering, however, their surface modification followed by collagen type II application may, at least under in vitro conditions, reduce the viability of chondrocytes and induce their pro-destructive behavior. The potential benefit or disadvantage of surface modifications of materials for osteochondral defect repairs needs to be further elucidated., M. Polanská ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy