Performance of ultrasound to monitor Achilles enthesitis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis during TNF-a antagonist therapy.

Enthesitis is considered as the primary anatomical lesion in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We aimed to investigate the potential of ultrasound to detect early changes after TNF-a antagonist therapy of Achilles enthesitis of AS patients. One hundred AS patients with active disease, requiring TNF-a antagonist therapy, were included (etanercept n = 25, infliximab n = 25, adalimumab n = 25, non-biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) n = 25).

Platelets induce a proinflammatory phenotype in monocytes via the CD147 pathway in rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: Activated platelets exert a proinflammatory action that can be largely ascribed to their ability to interact with monocytes. However, the mechanisms that promote dynamic changes in monocyte subsets in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not been clearly identified. The aim of this study was to determine whether platelet activation and the consequent formation of monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPA) might induce a proinflammatory phenotype in circulating monocytes in RA.

CD147 up-regulates calcium-induced chemotaxis, adhesion ability and invasiveness of human neutrophils via a TRPM-7-mediated mechanism.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether CD147 can up-regulate the chemotactic, adhesive and invasive properties of human neutrophils and to determine the mechanism underlying this process.

Methods: Human promyelocytic leukaemia cells (HL-60) cells and peripheral blood or synovial fluid neutrophils were isolated from RA patients. Under cyclophilin A (CypA) stimulation, chemotaxis, adhesion potential and invasion ability were assessed using chemotaxis, adhesion and invasiveness assays.

[Effect of cyclophilin A on monocyte-derived foam cells].

Aim: To observe whether cyclophilin A (CypA)has an effect on macrophage-derived foam cells, and to investigate the involvement of CypA in the development of atherosclerosis.

Methods: The foam cell model was established through incubating the human monocyte line (THP-1 cells) with oxidized low density lipoproteins (ox-LDL). The cells were stained with fresh oil red O to study the morphology of the macrophage-derived foam cells.