Journal
RHEUMATOLOGY
Volume 40, Issue 9, Pages 988-994Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/40.9.988
Keywords
rheumatoid arthritis; chemokines; matrix metalloproteinases; tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases
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Objective. To compare macrophage infiltration and expression of chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in synovial tissue between patients with early and long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Knee synovial biopsies were taken from 22 patients with early (<1 yr) and 22 patients with long-standing (>5 yr) RA and immunostained with antibodies specific for CD68; macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1; MMP-1 and -3 and the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and -2. Immunostaining was quantified using a colour video image analysis system. Results. CD68+ macrophage infiltration and the expression of MIP-1 alpha, MCP-1, MMP-1, MMP-3, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were observed in synovial tissue of patients with early RA. In long-standing RA, there was a further increase in CD68+ macrophage infiltration and MIP-1 alpha expression in the synovial lining layer. CD68 expression correlated with MIP-1 alpha (R=0.39, P=0.01), but not with MCP-1 expression. Conclusion. Macrophage accumulation, and the expression of chemokines and MMPs in synovial tissue occur in early RA. Targeting chemokines which play a role in the migration of macrophages into the joints may be of therapeutic benefit in RA patients.
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