INTERLEUKIN ABNORMALITIES IN RECENTLY ACTIVE RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 11  (5) , 593-596
Abstract
Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from 14 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) produced increased amounts of interleukin (IL) (P < 0.05) as measured in a mouse thymocyte assay and showed enhanced proliferation in response to an IL containing supernatant (P < 0.05) when compared with 9 aged matched controls. Both enhanced IL production (P > 0.01) and responsiveness (P < 0.002) were seen exclusively in a subgroup of 7 patients with a recent onset or exacerbation of their disease. PBL from RA patients with equally active disease which were unchanged for > 6 mo. produced and responded to IL normally. There was a direct correlation between IL production and responsiveness (r = 0.69, P < 0.005). These 2 distinct IL abnormalities appear to reflect disease initiating or exacerbating factors in RA.