Alterations of the mononuclear inflammatory cells cd4, cd8 t lymphocytes, il-1b, il-17 and tnf-y in ra & oa blood & synovial fluid

Abstract EN

Background : Rheumatoid (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are common joint diseases.

The former is a multisystem disease with underlying immune mechanisms.

The latter is a debilitating, progressive disease of diarthrodial joints associated with the aging process.

We hypothesize that the development of RA and OA is associated with alterations in T cell subsets (CD4 / CD8) as well as cytokine production in the blood and synovial fluid.

Objectives : we carried out this investigation to test this hypothesis.

Also, we took an aim at analyzing of RA and OA patients for: 1) the clinic pathologic characteristics of the lesions, 2) immunologic alterations in the synovial fluid (SF), peripheral blood (BP) and 3) the correlation between the clinic pathologic characteristics and immunologic alterations.

Methodology: samples (PB, SF) were obtained from 24 RA, 15 OA patients and six age and sex matched healthy controls (HCs).

The CD4 / CD8 lymphocytes, levels of TNF-α, IL1-1β and IL-17 cytokines were examined in SF and serum using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and immunoperoxidase staining methods.

Results : the mean ages of RA and OA patients were 34.3 ± 1.7 and 51.1 ± 2.0 year.

In RA, the mean values of the morning stiffness, pain scale, grip strength and Richie articular index were 87.5 ≥ 5 ± 6.5 ± 51.08 and ± 29.5 respectively.

As compared to HCs, in RA and OA, respectively, there were statistically significantly (p < 0.05) higher : 1) ESR1 (8.5vs.

33.9 ± 2.8 vs.

62.3 ± 6.8); 2) ESR2 (13.3vs.

50.6 ± 4.3 vs.

88.9 ± 6.4); and 3) cytokine levels in the serum (7.5 ± 2.1 vs.

25.8 ± 2.3 vs.

26.2 ± 1.5 for TNF-α ; 9.2 ±6.2 vs.

18.5 ± 1.6 vs.

17.8± 1.3 for IL-1β ; and 0.01vs.

0.07 ± 0.02 vs.

0.2 ± 0.1 for IL-17).

As compared to OA, RA had significantly higher (p < 0.05) cytokine levels in SF (105.6 ± 39.5 vs.

245.2 ± 22.2 for TNF-α; 14.3vs.

26.8 ± 4.1 for IL-1β and 0.5 vs.

6.4 ± 2.3 for IL-17).

In the blood, as compared to HCs, there were a statistically significant higher CD4, CD8 and CD4 / CD8 ratio in both RA and OA (p < 0.05).

There were significant direct correlations between the disease activity vs.

TNF-α ; CD4 vs.

IL-17; CD8 vs.

IL-1 α ; and CD4 vs.

TNF-α in SF.

Conclusions : CD4 / CD8 lymphocytes, cytokine are altered in RA and OA.

In RA, some of these alterations correlated with the underlying disease process and therefore may have pathogen etic, modulatory and potential prognostic roles in these lesions.