A New Explanation of Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients With Respect to Claudin-5, Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, and Neuroserpin

Sevil Arabacı TAMER1, Gönül GÜROL2, İbrahim TEKEOĞLU3, Halil HARMAN3, İhsan Hakkı ÇİFTÇİ4

1Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty of Marmara University, İstanbul, Turkey
2Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty of Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
3Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Rheumatology, Medical Faculty of Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
4Department of Microbiology, Medical Faculty of Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey

Keywords: Claudin-5, matrix metalloproteinase-9, neuroserpin, rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between neuroserpin (NSP) and claudin-5, as well as matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), with respect to clinical activity of disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and methods: The study included a total of 75 patients (18 males, 57 females; mean age 48.12±11.23 years; range 20 to 60 years) who were admitted to the rheumatology outpatient facility at the Medical Faculty Hospital, Sakarya University, in October 2014. Patients were divided into four groups based on their Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) scores as remission group (n=16, DAS28 <2.6), low disease activity group (n=16, DAS28 between 2.6-3.2), moderate disease activity group (n=28, DAS28 between 3.2-5.1), and high disease activity group (n=15, DAS28 >5.1). Ten healthy subjects (HS) served as controls.
Results: Claudin-5, MMP-9, and NSP levels were significantly different in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to HS (p=0.035, 0.026, and 0.014, respectively). Additionally, there were no differences between claudin-5 levels and disease activity among all RA groups. However, compared to HS, patient groups showed a significant difference (p=0.035) in terms of claudin-5 levels. Serum levels of MMP-9 were significantly different in moderate disease activity group compared to HS (p=0.013). Levels of NSP were significantly different in moderate disease activity and high disease activity groups compared to HS (p=0.008 and 0.031, respectively).
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the differential associations of endothelial function/dysfunction biomarkers and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. How and why this impairment occurs is not fully understood and more data regarding NSP, MMP, and claudin expression in plasma are warranted.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

Financial Disclosure

The authors thanks the Sakarya University Research Project Committee for financial support of the project (Project Number: 2014-80-01-002).