Biomedical Research

This study aimed to investigate the associations of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) with vascular lesions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thirty RA patients (RA group) and thirty healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in this study. In all subjects, the serum levels of rheumatoid and inflammation related indexes including rheumatoid factor (RF), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), highsensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), IL-17 and MCP-1 were determined. In addition, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured. Results showed that, the levels of ES, RF, serum TNF-α, hs-CRP, IL-17 and MCP-1 in RA group were significantly higher those in control group, respectively (P<0.05). The levels of serum TNF-α, hs-CRP, IL-17 and MCP-1 in RA patients with abnormal baPWV (>1400 cm/s) were significantly higher those in RA patients with normal baPWV (≤ 1400 cm/s), respectively (P<0.05). The levels of serum hs-CRP, IL-17 and MCP-1 in RA patients with abnormal ABI (≤ 0.9) were significantly higher those in RA patients with normal ABI (>0.9), respectively (P<0.05). In 30 RA patients, hs-CRP, IL-17 and MCP-1 were the main independent risk factors of RA patients with abnormal baPWV, and IL-17 and MCP-1 were the main independent risk factors of RA patients with abnormal ABI. In conclusion, IL-17 and MCP-1 are involved in the occurrence and development of RA, and they are the reliable indicators for judging the vascular lesions in RA.

Author(s): Zhaocui Zhang, Shuhong Zhou, Yi Zhang
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