RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN URINARY-EXCRETION OF MODIFIED NUCLEOSIDES AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS PROCESS

The levels of the five methylated nucleosides pseudouridine (Psi-Urd), 1-methyladenosine (1-MeAdo), 4 acetylcytidine (4-AcCyd), 1 methylinos ine (1-MeIno) and 7 methylguanosine (7-MeGuo) resulting from RNA degra dation were examined in the urine of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient s. Of these five, 1-MeAdo and Psi-Urd were correlated with the active phase of the disease, while two others (4-AcCyd and 1-MeIno), which re quire further evaluation, appeared to be linked to the prognosis of th e disease. As RNA turnover is closely associated with cell proliferati on, including that of lymphocytes in RA. there may be a hitherto unsus pected benefit in measuring 1-MeAdo and Psi-Urd as biochemical markers of RA disease activity.