[Rheumatoid arthritis]. / Rheumatoide Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and progressive systemic disease of the connective tissue, which is particularly manifested with destructive alterations to the joints. Inflammatory reactions in the synovium lead to the influx of peripheral inflammatory cells as well as the activation of local cells. Released growth factors, chemokines and especially cytokines play a key role in chronic inflammatory responses. In addition to the central lymphocytes, the T and B cells and their subpopulations, locally resident cells, such as neutrophils, macrophages and fibroblasts as well as cells of bone metabolism are activated by the inflammatory milieu and contribute to and drive inflammation and tissue damage. The destruction of cartilage and bone substance by local tissue cells, synovial fibroblasts and osteoclasts is characteristic for this disease. Untreated, the local inflammatory and destructive processes as well as systemic inflammatory factors lead to progressive and irreversible joint destruction. Cellular and immunological processes in RA are closely interwoven; therefore, besides the general inhibition of immunological processes, specific inhibition of central key molecules can reduce or completely stop the inflammatory destructive processes; however, a high heterogeneity can be observed among RA patients and disease progression. Therefore, an expansion of the therapeutic options is desirable as not all patients are able to equally benefit from the therapeutic treatment. It is important to characterize new molecular mechanisms, which could lead to the development of new therapeutic options. Some of the more recent insights are summarized in this overview.

Prediction of the oversulphated chondroitin sulphate contamination of unfractionated heparin by ATR-IR spectrophotometry.

The detection of a contamination of heparin with oversulphated chondroitin sulphate (OSCS) was first analysed in an unfractionated heparin batch supplied to the US API-market in April 2006. OSCS is a semi-synthetic derivative of the natural occuring glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulphate. Moreover some spectroscopic characteristics of the substance overlap with those of heparin, so that the infrared (IR) spectra are visually difficult to distinguish whereas (1)H-NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy or capillary electrophoresis (CE) provides identification by a simple visual inspection of either the spectrum or the electropherogram respectively. However, applying special tools of Multivariate Data Analysis (MVA) to the IR spectra an identification of the contaminated samples is possible. In detail a rapid Attenuation Total Reflectance-Infrared (ATR-IR) measurement was selected, which does not require any sample preparation. The result (contaminated or not contaminated) is predicted within a few minutes. A method transfer to mobile ATR-IR spectrometers seems to be possible. The analysis is based on the fact that the fingerprint of the OSCS IR spectrum (1st derivative) complies with a theoretically calculated principal component in the MVA.