You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Concise reports
Immune activation in the small intestine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
  1. R Nissinen1,2,
  2. M Leirisalo-Repo3,
  3. A M Nieminen1,
  4. L Halme4,
  5. M Färkkilä5,
  6. T Palosuo2,
  7. O Vaarala1,6
  1. 1Department of Molecular Medicine, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
  2. 2Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
  3. 3Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Transplantation and Liver Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
  4. 4Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Liver Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
  5. 5Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Transplantation and Liver Surgery Unit, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
  6. 6Division of Paediatrics, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
  1. Correspondence to:
    Dr R Nissinen
    National Public Health Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, Biomedicum, PO Box 104, 00251 Helsinki, Finland; riikka.nissinenktl.fi

Abstract

Objectives: To determine whether inflammation in the gut associated immune system is activated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The expression of chemokine receptor- (CCR4, CCR5) and cytokine- (interleukin (IL)2, IL10, interferon γ (IFNγ), tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)) specific mRNA in intestinal biopsy samples from patients with RA was examined.

Methods: Duodenal biopsy samples from 13 patients with RA and 15 control subjects were studied. The mRNA expression of CCR4, CCR5, IL2, IL10, IFNγ, TNFα, and TGFβ in intestinal biopsy samples was demonstrated by real time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The mRNA expression of CCR4, CCR5, and IL10 in intestinal biopsy samples was increased in patients with RA in comparison with control subjects (p = 0.001, p = 0.046, p = 0.019). No difference in the expression levels of IL2, IFNγ, TNFα, or TGFβ was seen between patients with RA and controls.

Conclusions: The increased intestinal mRNA expression of IL10, CCR5, and CCR4 suggests that gut associated immune cells are activated in patients with RA.

  • IL, interleukin
  • INFγ, interferon γ
  • RA, rheumatoid arthritis
  • RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
  • TGFβ, transforming growth factor β
  • TNFα, tumour necrosis factor α
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • chemokine receptors
  • cytokines
  • inflammation
  • intestine

https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.2003.011304

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    View Full Text