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Serum cysteine proteases and their inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis: relation to disease activity and radiographic progression

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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the serum levels of cysteine proteases cathepsins B and H and their inhibitors stefin A, stefin B, and cystatin C, as well as traditional inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to correlate these markers with scores of disease activity and radiographic progression. Seventy-two patients with rheumatoid arthritis were included from two previously described cohorts of patients with chronic polyarthritis. At inclusion, disease activity was assessed by a 28-joint count, patient global assessment, and serum C-reactive protein. Erosive status of hands and wrists was expressed by the Larsen score and recorded at inclusion and after 1 year. Serum levels of cathepsin B, cathepsin H, stefin A, stefin B, and cystatin C were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neither cathepsin B nor cathepsin H serum levels were associated with disease activity, presence or progression of erosive disease. Number of swollen joints correlated with serum levels of stefin A and B and correlated negatively with cystatin C serum levels. Erosive disease was associated with high serum levels of C-reactive protein and stefin A and low serum levels of cystatin C. Progression of radiographic destruction was associated with high serum levels of C-reactive protein, stefin A and B, whereas serum levels of cystatin C were not associated with radiographic progression. The findings in this study support further investigation in the regulation of the activity of cathepsins and their inhibitors in erosive rheumatoid arthritis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Iben Jørgensen, Lone Troelsen & Søren Jacobsen

  2. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Janko Kos & Marta Krašovec

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Janko Kos & Marta Krašovec

  4. Department of Rheumatology, Copenhagen University Hospital at Glostrup Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark

    Mette Klarlund

  5. Department of Rheumatology, Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark

    Trine W. Jensen & Michael S. Hansen

  6. Department of Endocrinology, Copenhagen University Hospital at Hvidovre Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark

    Trine W. Jensen

  7. Department of Rheumatology, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Søren Jacobsen

Authors
  1. Iben Jørgensen
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  2. Janko Kos
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  3. Marta Krašovec
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  4. Lone Troelsen
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  5. Mette Klarlund
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  6. Trine W. Jensen
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  7. Michael S. Hansen
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  8. Søren Jacobsen
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Consortia

The DRD and TIRA study groups

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Søren Jacobsen.

Additional information

Members of the DRD study group in alphabetical order: Adrian Florescu, Michael S. Hansen, Kim Hørslev-Petersen, Jan Pødenphant, and Michael Stoltenberg. Members of the TIRA study group in alphabetical order: Michael S. Hansen, Merete Lund Hetland, Søren Jacobsen, Trine W. Jensen, Julia Sidenius Johansen, Mette Klarlund, Ib Lorenzen, Henrik Skjødt, and Mikkel Østergaard.

Source of support

Supported by grants from the Danish Rheumatism Association, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Research Agency of Slovenia (grant P4-0127 J.K.).

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Jørgensen, I., Kos, J., Krašovec, M. et al. Serum cysteine proteases and their inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis: relation to disease activity and radiographic progression. Clin Rheumatol 30, 633–638 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-010-1585-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-010-1585-1

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