ABSTRACT
AIM: To study activity of genetically programmed cell death (PCD) of lymphocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lymphocytes from 30 RA patients including 14 patients with RA history up to 2 years, and 12 healthy donors were studied for activity of caspase 4, 6, 8 usingfluorescence and caspase substrates 30, 60, 120, 150 and 180 min after start of the reaction and number of 1-2-thread serration of DNA with fluorescence of two DNA-tropic stains--EtBr and 4,6-DAPY Correlation was also studied between lymphocyte activity and RA activity, x-ray stage, duration, level of TNF-alpha. The trend in PCD activity of lymphocytes in immunosuppressive therapy was analysed. RESULTS: The activity of lymphocytic caspases in RA patients was low compared to healthy donors. A negative correlation was found between RA activity and activity of caspase 8 and 6. In RA therapy with methotrexate, sulphasalasine, glucocorticosteroids the activity of caspases and number of 1-thread serrations of DNA were subnormal. CONCLUSION: RA is associated with lymphocyte PCD disorders which may be involved in RA pathogenesis, in formation of clones of potentially autoaggressive lymphocytes, in particular. This process is not normalized by current methods of RA treatment causing unsatisfactory outcomes of RA therapy.