OxyFile #566
Correlation of Plasma Interleukin 1 Levels with Disease Activity
in Rheumatoid Arthritis with and without Ozone
Fahmy, Z.
Augusta-Klinik
55543 Bad Kreuznach
Summary:
The mean plasma level interleukin 1 beta was significantly higher
in 51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in 21
rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with ozone as control group
of similar age in both groups.
Plasma IL-1 beta correlated positively with Ritchie joint index,
pain score, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate and correlated
negatively with haemoglobin concentration.
These results support the idea that IL-1 beta has a central role
in the pathogenesis of RA and the ozone has influence of the
level concentration of IL-1 beta.
IL-1 molecules are polypetides with many biological activities
related to host defence and tissue remodelling and interest has
arisen in the pathogenic potential of IL-1 in inflammatory and
immune diseases. Two forms of human IL-1 (alpha and beta) are
encoded by separate genes with inducible expression in
macrophages, lymphocytes, endothelial cells, and other cells
types. IL-1 alpha and beta have only 26% aminoacid homology but
complete equally for receptors on target cells and have similar
biological activities.
Many activities of IL-1 are relevant to rheumatoid arthritis
(RA). IL-1 increases the release from synovial cells of
vasoactive agents and mediators of tissue damage (eg,
prostaglandins, proteinolytic enzymes, and reactive oxygen
molecules and is a powerful stimulus of bone and cartilage
resorption. It also induces the acute-phase response and fever
and may potentiate chronic inflammation by induction of
lymphocyte growth factors such as interleukin 2 and its
receptors.
Despite the weight of circumstantial evidence for IL-1 as a
pathogenic mediator in RA, it has not previously been possible to
correlate IL-1 levels in vivo with clinical disease activity in
patients because IL-1 measurement in blood and other biological
fluids has been complicated by interfering factors.
Date: 1995