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Circulating interleukin 10 and interleukin-6 serum levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate or gold salts: Preliminary report

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Abstract

In order to evaluate the relationship between serum concentrations of interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-6, and acute phase proteins in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with methotrexate (MTX) or intramuscular gold (IMG) we determined IL-10, IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) in the sera of 35 RA patients. IL-10 and IL-6 levels were evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). AGP and ACT level were measured using rocket immunoelectrophoresis. IL-10 serum level was not increased in RA patients as compared to controls (58.7 ± 18.1 pg/ml vs. 57.2 ± 11.9 pg/ml). IL-6 level was significantly elevated (91.6 ± 46.9 pg/ml vs. 45 ± 19 pg/ml, p < 0.05). CRP was significantly increased as compared to healthy controls (35 ± 19 mg/l vs. 3 ± 2 mg/l, p < 0.05). Patients treated with MTX or IMG presented an increased level of IL-10 and decreased amounts of IL-6, as compared to those treated with NSAID only. However, only changes between patients treated with IMG and NSAID were found to be statistically significant. A good negative correlation between IL-10 and IL-6 serum level was found (r = −0.75, p < 0.05). A positive significant correlation between IL-6 serum level and CRP (r = 0.62, p < 0.05), AGP (r = 0.78, p < 0.05) and ACT (r = 0.45, p < 0.05) was established. On the other hand, a negative correlation between IL-10 and serum level of CRP (r = −0.76, p < 0.05), AGP (r = −0.64, p < 0.05) and ACT (r = −0.38, p < 0.05) was also observed. Moreover, these relationships were maintained when patients treated with MTX, IMG, or NSAID were analyzed independently. According to the data thus far obtained, it seems that IL-10 decreases IL-6 production, and thereby indirectly affects the acute phase response, decreasing CRP, AGP, and ACT concentration in RA patients.

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Abbreviations

ACT:

α-1-antichymotrypsin

AGP:

α 1-acid glycoprotein

APP:

acute phase protein

CRP:

C-reactive protein

CSF:

colony stimulating factor

IFN:

interferon

IL:

interleukin

IMG:

intramuscular gold

MTX:

methotrexate

NSAID:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

RA:

rheumatoid arthritis

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Karol Marcinkowski University School of Medicine, ul. Winogrady 144, PL-61-626, Poznan, Poland

    Jan K. Lacki & Urszula Mackiewicz

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Karol Marcinkowski University School of Medicine, ul. Winogrady 144, PL-61-626, Poznan, Poland

    Kamilla Klama & Stefan H. Mackiewicz

  3. Hochrhein Institute for Rheumatism Research and Prevention, Bad Saeckingen, Germany

    Jan K. Lacki, Kamilla Klama & Wolfgang Müller

  4. Hochrhein Institute for Rheumatism Research and Prevention, Rheinfelden, Switzerland

    Jan K. Lacki, Kamilla Klama & Wolfgang Müller

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  1. Jan K. Lacki
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  3. Stefan H. Mackiewicz
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  4. Urszula Mackiewicz
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Lacki, J.K., Klama, K., Mackiewicz, S.H. et al. Circulating interleukin 10 and interleukin-6 serum levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate or gold salts: Preliminary report. Inflamm Res 44, 24–26 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01630483

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01630483

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