lactoferrin and Joint-Diseases

The tremendous increase in the number of articles from the world scientific literature dealing with the synovial fluid in recent years, reflects the growing interest of research on that subject. The current review summarizes the scientific works published during the period of 1972 to 1975. This review deals with fundamental as well as applied research or clinical reports adding some diagnostic hints in the knowledge of diseases involving joints. The content of the review is divided in two major chapters. 1) The Physico-Chemical Properties of the Synovial Fluid (viscosity, pH,...); 2) The Composition of the Synovial Fluid (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, prostaglandins, cells, crystals, micro-organisms).

Topics: Antibodies, Antinuclear; Blood Coagulation Factors; Blood Proteins; Carbohydrates; Cell Membrane Permeability; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry, Physical; Complement System Proteins; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Joint Diseases; Lactoferrin; Lipids; Pressure; Prostaglandins; Rheumatoid Factor; Synovial Fluid; Viscosity

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are present in several vasculitides and in other immunomediated diseases. The reported prevalence of ANCA in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is variable. In addition, the presence of such autoantibodies has been poorly investigated in synovial fluid (SF). The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate the presence of ANCA both in the serum and in SF from patients with RA and other forms of synovitis (OS); (2) to analyze the reactivity of ANCA against isolated antigens proteinase 3 (PR3), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lactoferrin (LF); and (3) to evaluate the clinical relevance of these autoantibodies.. Twenty-eight patients with RA, 13 with OS, and 17 with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint were studied. No patient had clinical manifestations of vasculitis. SF and serum samples were investigated for the presence of ANCA by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF); the reactivity against PR3, MPO and LF was assessed by ELISA.. ANCA were detected by IIF in SF of 39.3% patients with RA, 38.5% with OS, and 5.9% with OA. With 2 exceptions, patients who had ANCA in SF showed positivity also in serum. The presence of both anti-MPO and anti-LF antibodies was found in 3 patients with RA and 1 with OA; a patient with RA showed antibodies only against LF and another one with RA only against MPO. No reactivity was found against PR3. In patients with RA ANCA were not associated with disease activity.. We found an increased incidence of ANCA both in SF and serum from patients with RA and OS. The pathogenic role and the clinical relevance of such autoantibodies in these diseases remain to be established.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Antinuclear; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Demography; Disease Progression; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Humans; Joint Diseases; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Peroxidase; Synovial Fluid; Synovitis