Expression of interleukin-18 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective　To further investigate the balance (relative presence) of Th1 and Th2 subsets at the sites of rheumatoid inflammation,and to understand how about the expression of IL-18 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA),and what the relationship exists between expression of IL-18 and rate of Th1/Th2 in RA,and between IL-18 level and activity of the disease.Method　Expression of IFN-γ,IL-4,and IL-18 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 16 patients with RA and 15 healthy subjects was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.Results　① PBMC from patients with RA was found to contain greater levels of IL-18 mRNA than that from healthy subjects (P＜0.01).② IL-18 mRNA levels were correlated with IFN-γ mRNA (relative coefficientsr＝0.836,P＜0.05).③ IL-18 mRNA levels were associated with the disease activity as assessed by levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r＝0.753,P＜0.05).Conclusion　IL-18 is among a matrix of inflammatory cytokines produced abundantly in patients with RA and is associated with induction of IFN-γ and activity of the disease.