Background Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial, systemic, progressive, inflammatory disease which is characterized with bone and cartilage destruction. Synovial angiogenesis is important at the etiopathology. Recently with the better understanding of RA pathogenesis, the target specific treatment approaches come up with better results.

Objectives The purpose is to study levels of newly identified plasma signal peptide-CUP-EGF domain containing protein (SCUBE) 1and 3 in RA patients. Moreover, to determine whether there exists any correlation between these proteins, other angiogenesis parameters and disease activities

Methods This study covers 106 patients diagnosed with RA associated with 2010 American Collage of Rheumatology (ACR) diagnosis criteria matched with healthy controllers who are equivalent of RA patients in terms of age and gender. All necessary data such as age, gender and body mass index of all participants were recorded. Detailed background information and examination of the patients are recorded and disease activity scores (DAS28) were figured out. The levels of SCUBE 1–3, Vascular Endotedial Growth Factor (VEGF), Matrix metaloproteinaz-9 (MM-9), Interlökin-6 (IL-6), CD40L are evaluated with the method of Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) in both patients and control group

Results This study covers 201 individuals 106 of whom were diagnosed with RA (82 women, 24 men) and 95 of them were healthy controllers (64 women, 31 men). Age, body mass index (BMI) and gender distribution of both groups were very similar to one another. Significant differences were observed between RA patients and healthy controller groups in terms of SCUBE 1 (respectively1.28±1.41ng/mL, 0.94±0.67ng/mL p=0.002) and CD40L MMP-9 levels (p<0.001, p=0.012). Any significant difference was not detected between disease activity and SCUBE 1–3 and other angiogenesis markers. Any significant correlation was not determined between disease activities, SCUBE 1–3 and other parameters.

Conclusions Levels of SCUBE might be considered as a significant marker in the disease pathogenesis independent from other parameters in the RA diagnosed patients.

1. Szekanecz Z, Besenyei T, Paragh G, Koch AE Angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis.Autoimmunity. 2009;7:563–731

2. Lainer-Carr D, Brahn E. Angiogenesis inhibition as a therapeutic approach for inflammatory synovitis. Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2007;3:434–42.

3. Yang R-B, Ng CKD, Wasserman SM, et al. Identification of a novel family of cell-surface proteins expressed in human vascular endothelium. J Biol Chem 2002;277:464–73.

4. Yanga M, Mingyang G, Yonghe H Jiang y. Scube regulates synovial angiogenesis-related signaling. Medical Hypotheses 2013;27: 948–953

Disclosure of Interest None declared