Objectives

Numerous cytokines and adipokines have a fundamental role in synovial inflammation and articular destruction characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cytokines are thought to originate from inflamed synovial tissue. Recently, adipose tissue has been suggested to play a role in chronic inflammatory joint diseases, but its ability to synthesise proinflammatory cytokines has not been well characterised. The aim of the present work was to investigate whether rheumatoid articular adipose tissue secretes cytokines and adipokines relevant to …