CYTOKINES, PROSTAGLANDIN-E2, PHOSPHOLIPASE-A2 AND METALLOPROTEASES ACTIVITY IN HUMAN OSTEOARTHRITIC SYNOVIAL-FLUID

Concentrations of prostaglandin E2, interleukin 1-beta, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, phospholipase A2, collagenase and proteoglycanase activity were determined in synovial fluid from 26 patients with osteoarthrosis of the knee and 10 with rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthrosis synovial fluid was characterised by the absence of interleukin 1-beta while tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 were present in relatively large amounts, by a very high phospholipase A2 activity contrasting with a very low concentration of prostaglandin E2, and by a collagenase/proteoglycanase activity only slightly less constant and high as in rheumatoid arthritis. In osteoarthrosis patients, the interleukin 6 concentration, but not that of tumor necrosis factor alpha, was correlated with the collagenase and proteoglycanase activity of synovial fluid.