Alterations in Cytokine Profile and Dendritic Cells Subsets in Peripheral Blood of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients before and after Biologic Therapy

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2009-09, Vol.1173 (1), p.334-342
• Main Authors: Marti, Luciana, Golmia, Ricardo, Golmia, Andrea Pimentel Fonseca, Paes, Ângela Tavares, Guilhen, Daiane Donna, Moreira-Filho, Carlos Alberto, Scheinberg, Morton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abatacept; Adult; Antibodies - immunology; Antibodies - therapeutic use; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - therapy; Biological; Biological Therapy - methods; Bones; CD3 Complex - analysis; Circulating; Cytokines; Cytokines - blood; dendritic cell; Dendritic Cells - cytology; Dendritic Cells - drug effects; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Female; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Immunoconjugates - therapeutic use; Interferon-gamma - blood; Interleukin-10 - blood; Interleukin-3 Receptor alpha Subunit - analysis; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukin-6 - immunology; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors - analysis; Male; Middle Aged; Patients; Reduction; rheumatoid; Therapy; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood
• ISSN: 0077-8923; 1749-6632
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04740.x

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic joint inflammation and continuous immune cell infiltration in the synovium. These changes are linked to inflammatory cytokine release, leading to eventual destruction of cartilage and bone. During the last decade new therapeutic modalities have improved the prognosis, with the introduction of novel biological response modifiers including anti‐TNFα CTLA4Ig and, more recently, anti‐IL6. In the present study we looked at the immunological effects of these three forms of therapy. Serum, obtained from patients with RA was analyzed for TNFα, IL6, IL10, IFNγ, and VEGF, and in parallel, circulating plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells (DC) were enumerated before and after three infusions of the respective biological treatments. After treatment with anti‐IL6, we found a significant reduction of IL6 and TNFα levels and the percentage of both DC subsets decreased. Although the results did not reach statistical significance for anti‐TNFα treatment, similar trends were observed. Meanwhile, CTLA4Ig therapy led to the reduction IFNγ levels only. None of the treatments modified significantly VEGF or IL10 levels. These findings may explain why patients with RA improve more rapidly on IL‐6 therapy than with the other two modalities.