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Increased endothelial expression of HLA-DQ and interleukin 1alpha in extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis. Results from immunohistochemical studies of skeletal muscle

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Author

  • C Turesson
  • P Englund
  • L T Jacobsson
  • Gunnar Sturfelt
  • Lennart Truedsson
  • I Nennesmo
  • I E Lundberg

Summary, in English

OBJECTIVE: To investigate markers of endothelial activation in muscle biopsies from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with and without extra-articular manifestations (ExRA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nine consecutive ExRA patients were compared with nine RA controls without ExRA, matched for age, sex and duration of RA. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the lateral vastus or anterior tibial muscle. Macrophage and lymphocyte CD markers, HLA molecules, cytokines and adhesion molecules were investigated using immunohistochemistry, and stainings were evaluated using computer image analysis and conventional microscopy. Serum concentrations of soluble adhesion molecules, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and rheumatoid factor (RF) were determined using immunoassays. RESULTS: The number of HLA-DQ-positive capillaries (P=0.039) and the expression of interleukin 1alpha (IL-1alpha) in endothelial cells (mean pairwise difference 0.26%; 95% confidence interval 0-0.52) were increased in ExRA patients compared with non-ExRA controls. There were no signs of inflammatory cell infiltrates or fibre degeneration. Serum levels of TNF-alpha, the soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecule 1, the soluble form of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and IgM RF were increased in the ExRA group. CONCLUSION: The increased expression of HLA-DQ and IL-1alpha may indicate systemic endothelial activation in extra-articular RA, which could be of importance for cardiovascular comorbidity and mortality in such patients.

Publishing year

2001

Language

English

Pages

1346-1354

Publication/Series

Rheumatology

Volume

40

Issue

12

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Topic

  • Rheumatology and Autoimmunity

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1462-0332