109 TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR alpha(TNF-alpha) PRODUCTION BY MONOCYTES FROM CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (JRA)

Abstract

In an attempt to elucitate the possible role of TNF-alpha in the pathomechanism of JRA, the protocol was designed to determine the level of the TNF production by Mø of JRA patients at two distinct clinical phases: acute stage (AS) and late remission (LR). A sample of 16 JRA children and 16 infection-free matched controls were enrolled to the study. The TNF level in the sera was determined by ELISA test. Spontaneous (NIL) and induced production of TNF was assesed. To induce TNF production, patients Mø were stimulated with LPS and fibroblasts (from healthy donor and a selected child with JRA). The analyses were performed at AS and LR. For statistical evaluation non parametric test was used. Results: Lower TNF levels in the sera of JRA patients at AS in comparison to LR was observed (z = -1.491 p = .07). Mø of AS patients revealed significantly lower (p = .01), and LR children significantly higher (p = .00002) NIL production in comparison to the controls. A similar pattern was observed for Mø after LPS stimulation. The production of TNF by Mø of patients (AS) stimulated by JRA fibroblasts was significantly higher (233 U/ml vs 50 U/ml) (z = -2.273 p = .001) in comparison to the situation when the fibroblasts from a healthy donor were used as stimulators. No such relationship could be observed for the Mø of patients in LR. The results suggest that serum level of TNF and the production of this monokine by Mø of JRA patients may be dependent on the clinical stage (AS vs LR) of the disease. The pattern of TNF production by Mø after stimulation with fibroblasts from JRA patient indicate the possibility that Mø-fibroblasts interaction may participate in the pathomechanism of JRA.

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