Assessment of lymphocyte apoptosis in the blood and synovial fluid of active rheumatoid arthritis patients

Abstract EN

In this study, the percentage of CD95+ and Bcl-2+ peripheral blood lymphocytes of 20 active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients showed no significant difference as compared to healthy controls.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were significantly higher in the sera of RA patients compared to the control subjects.

Highly significant differences were observed in the results of CD95%, Bcl-2%, TNF-? and sICAM-1 when synovial fluid samples were compared with the peripheral blood of RA patients.

A significant association between these parameters and both disease activity and severity were also demonstrated.

These results indicate an imbalance between the apoptotic factors that are represented in this study by CD95 and the anti-apoptotic factors represented by Bcl-2.

The increased TNF-? and sICAM-1 are two important factors regulating apoptosis.

The elucidation of the biochemical pathways and specific proteins that regulate the interaction between apoptotic and anti-apoptotic factors will provide a remarkable opportunity to manipulate the life-and-death cell decisions through novel therapeutic interventions.