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  • 1
    ISSN: 1573-2592
    Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis ; immunity ; inflammation
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex inflammatory disease of unknown cause. Although various laboratory and clinical measurements are useful in managing these patients, there is a need for better tests to quantitatively assess disease activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of certain immune and inflammation (I-I) parameters with four traditional disease severity measures and a functional measure in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A single set of patient blood samples was analyzed, and four traditional disease severity measures and patient functional statuses were determined from 64 consecutive outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), sCD4 and sCD8 (and the sCD4/sCD8 ratio), neopterin, and fibrin D-dimer were analyzed in relationship to Westergren erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), physician assessment of disease activity, joint pain count, grip strength, and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) scores. Rheumatoid arthritis patients had higher mean levels of all I-I measures (except sCD4) compared to healthy subjects. Initial significant correlations between TNF, sIL-2R, and D-dimer and several disease severity and functional measures were detected. When we controlled for the covariates age, gender, race, and medications, regression analyses indicated that, as a group, the I-I measures were significantly related to grip strength, physician disease severity rating, ESR, and total joint pain. When the predictive values of the I-I measures were tested controlling for the covariates and ESR, D-dimer was independently and significantly associated with variability in grip strength, physician disease severity, and AIMS physical disability, while TNF was associated with a significant amount of variability in total joint pain. The results indicate that these immune and inflammation parameters may be significantly elevated in rheumatoid arthritis patients and that certain measures (e.g., plasma fibrin D-dimer) may be especially useful in objectively evaluating disease activity in RA patients.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 2
    ISSN: 0021-9541
    Keywords: Life and Medical Sciences ; Cell & Developmental Biology
    Source: Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
    Topics: Biology , Medicine
    Notes: We studied the chemotactic peptide receptor/cytoskeletal interactions in HL-60 cells induced to differentiate with different agents and attempted to correlate these observations with the acquisition of different functional responses. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP-treated cells showed rapid superoxide anion production in response to N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and slow, sustained response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Retinoic acid-induced cells showed a slow, sustained response to both FMLP and PMA. Interferon-γ-treated cells produced no superoxide anion on stimulation with FMLP, whereas tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-treated cells showed a slight response. Chemotactic peptide receptor association was the same in the HL-60 cells treated with different agents, despite marked differences in the superoxide anion generation and actin polymerization responses to FMLP and PMA in these cells. In mature neutrophils chemotactic peptide receptor association with the cytoskeleton was not affected by either pertussis or cholera toxin. However, both toxins inhibited FMLP-induced actin polymerization and superoxide anion generation. This suggested involvement of a G-protein similar to Gt, rather than Gi or Gs. Neither toxin had any effect on PMA-induced superoxide anion generation. These observations indicate that receptor association with the cytoskeleton may not have a significant role in affecting signal recognition and response. Among the several possible roles suggested, clearance of the occupied receptors may be the most important role of the cytoskeletal association. HL-60 cells induced to differentiate with different agents (because of their varied functional responses) might prove very useful in dissecting the molecular mechanisms regulating stimulus-induced activation of neutrophils.
    Additional Material: 3 Ill.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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