Activation of Th cell subsets and detection of herpesvirus DNA in rheumatoid arthritis patients / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the role of herpesvirus infection and the activation of Th cell subsets in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine herpes viral (HSV 1,HSV 2,EBV,CMV) DNA in whole blood (WB) and serum samples.ELISA used for measuring serum levels of IFN ? and IL 4.Results ① Thirty two WB samples and 32 serum samples from RApatients were tested for the viral DNA types.Of them 2 WB samples were positive for HSV 1 DNA and 1 serum sample did.In normal control samples one serum sample was positive for CMV DNA.There was no significant difference in rate of detection between control group and test group.② Comparing serum levels of IFN ? and the ratio of IFN ?/IL 4,it was found that RA patients had significantly higher values than the normal controls.Increased values directly correlated with severity of disease.[in RA patients IFN ? (21?33) pg/ml.TFN ?/IL 4 (25?20),in normal controls IFN ? (10 1?2 6) pg/ml, IFN ?/IL 4 (17?8)].Conclusion ① The rate of detection of herpes viral (EBV,CMV,HSV 1,HSV 2) DNA does not correlate with RA significantly.② Increased serum levels of Th1 derived inflammatory cytokine (IFN ?) and the impaired production of anti inflammatory Th2 derived cytokines (IL 4) indicate impaired activation of Th1 and Th2 in RA patients and may account for the chronic arthritis.