Abstract |
Cytokines and chemokines are key regulatory molecules involved in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). B-cell depletion therapy improves RA clinically but its mechanism is not completely understood. One possible mechanism for this therapy is the modification of the proinflammatory cytokine homeostasis of RA. We show here that the levels of the proinflammatory chemokine IL-8 in serum samples from RA patients unexpectedly increased by up to 100-fold 8 weeks after the administration of rituximab, despite clinical improvement. We also show that RA patients produced anti-IL-8 autoantibodies and that their levels dropped after RTX treatment. Moreover, we identified antibody-IL-8 immune complexes in the synovial fluid and serum of RA patients, and found that the amount of these complexes decreased after the administration of RTX. Our results indicate that B-cell depletion therapy modifies the cytokine- autoantibody network by reducing the levels of anti- cytokine autoantibodies and, consequentially, the formation of antibody- cytokine immune complexes.
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Authors | Zohar Keren, Yolanda Braun-Moscovici, Doron Markovits, Alexander Rozin, Menahem Nahir, Alexandra Balbir-Gurman, Doron Melamed |
Journal | Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.)
(Clin Immunol)
Vol. 133
Issue 1
Pg. 108-16
(Oct 2009)
ISSN: 1521-7035 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 19632157
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
- Antigen-Antibody Complex
- Antirheumatic Agents
- Autoantibodies
- Cytokines
- Interleukin-8
- Rituximab
- Infliximab
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Topics |
- Antibodies, Monoclonal
(therapeutic use)
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
- Antigen-Antibody Complex
(blood, immunology)
- Antirheumatic Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Arthritis, Rheumatoid
(immunology, therapy)
- Autoantibodies
(blood)
- B-Lymphocytes
(immunology)
- Cytokines
(blood)
- Female
- Humans
- Infliximab
- Interleukin-8
(blood, immunology)
- Lymphocyte Depletion
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Rituximab
- Synovial Fluid
(immunology)
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