Relation of Cytokine Profile and Antibody Values to Post-Translational Protein Modifications in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (Preliminary Data).

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between cytokine levels and values of antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) and antibodies to carbamylated proteins (anti-CarP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

. A total of 106 patients with a reliable diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis were included in the study. Determination of anti-CarP and anti-CCP was performed by enzyme immunoassay. Patients were divided into subgroups depending on the values of ACCP and anti-CarP. The concentration of 27 cytokines in serum was determined using multiplex xMAR technology.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: . When comparing immunological subgroups, ACCP(+) patients had higher concentrations of IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, FGF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, TGFb, TNF-α, and VEGF. IL-5, IL-9, eotaxin, MIP-1β, and RANTES values were higher in ACCP(-) patients. In the subgroup of ACCP(-) patients, an inverse correlation between IL-5 and total Sharpe score and between IL-9 and DAS28-CRP was found. In anti-CarP(-) patients (n = 73), higher values of IL-17 were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

. Our data support the concept of RA heterogeneity, characterized by the existence of different clinical and immunological subtypes, which may have implications for improving personalised therapy.