CYTOKINES AND THE CHRONIC INFLAMMATION OF RHEUMATIC DISEASE .1. THE PRESENCE OF INTERLEUKIN-1 IN SYNOVIAL-FLUIDS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55 (2), 295-302
Abstract
Synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (13 cases), ankylosing spondylitis (6), psoriatic arthritis (2), osteoarthritis (3) and rubella arthritis (4) contain interleukin I (II-1) activity as measured in the CH3/He mouse thymocyte assay. That this activity is II-1 was shown by the time course of thymocyte stimulation; failure of PHA [phytohemagglutinin] blast cells to absorb out the activity; MW of 15,000-20,000 daltons, and ability to stimulate prostaglandin E2 production from synovial cells. IL-1 is an important mediator in the inflammatory pathway of different types of joint disease.