Measurement of Interleukin-33 (IL-33) and IL-33 Receptors (sST2 and ST2L) in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science Vol. 26; no. 9; pp. 1132 - 1139
• Main Authors: Hong, Yeon-Sik, Moon, Su-Jin, Joo, Young-Bin, Jeon, Chan-Hong, Cho, Mi-La, Ju, Ji Hyeon, Oh, Hye-Jwa, Heo, Yu-Jung, Park, Sung-Hwan, Kim, Ho-Youn, Min, Jun-Ki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 01.09.2011; 대한의학회
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - blood; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - pathology; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; Female; Humans; Interleukin-1 Receptor-Like 1 Protein; Interleukin-1beta - analysis; Interleukin-1beta - blood; Interleukin-33; Interleukin-6 - analysis; Interleukin-6 - blood; Interleukins - analysis; Interleukins - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Osteoarthritis - blood; Osteoarthritis - pathology; Receptors, Cell Surface - analysis; Receptors, Cell Surface - blood; Synovial Fluid - metabolism; 의학일반; Interleukin-33; sST2, ST2L; Arthritis, Rheumatoid
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.9.1132

The interleukin-33 (IL-33)/ST2 pathway has emerged as an intercellular signaling system that participates in antigen-allergen response, autoimmunity and fibrosis. It has been suggested that IL-33/ST2 signaling has been involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), because IL-33 and its receptor have been specifically mapped to RA synovium. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of IL-33 and sST2 in sera and synovial fluids in patients with RA. The serum level of IL-33 was significantly higher in patients with RA (294.9 ± 464.0 pg/mL) than in healthy controls (96.0 ± 236.9 pg/mL, P = 0.002). The synovial fluid level of IL-33 was significantly higher in RA patients than in osteoarthritis patients. The level of serum sST2 was higher in RA patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.042). A significant relationship was found between the levels of IL-33 and IL-1β (r = 0.311, P = 0.005), and IL-33 and IL-6 (r = 0.264, P = 0.017) in 81 RA patients. The levels of IL-33, sST2 and C-reactive protein decreased after conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs treatment in 10 patients with treatment-naïve RA. Conclusively, IL-33 is involved in the pathogenesis of RA and may reflect the degree of inflammation in patients with RA.