Jp. Haas et al., Inverted ratio of m-fas/s-fas expression in early onset pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis, EUR J IMM, 26(5), 1999, pp. 325-329
The expression of m-fas/apo1 (CD95) and its soluble form (s-fas) was studie
d in patients with early onset pauciarticular (n = 23) and systemic juvenil
e chronic arthritis (n = 7). RNA was prepared from peripheral blood of pati
ents and 22 healthy controls and from 23 samples derived from the synovial
fluid of JCA patients. The ratio of m-fas/s-fas transcripts was calculated
by densitometry of fas-specific RT-PCR products. An inverted ratio of m-fas
/s-fas transcripts was found in PBMC and mononuclear cells from the joints
of early onset pauciarticular JCA patients. The m-fas/s-fas ratios were sim
ilar in PBMC and mononuclear cells from synovial fluid. PBMC from patients
with a systemic JCA showed the same m-fas/s-fas ratio as healthy controls,
with an inverted ratio of both transcripts in cells from the synovial fluid
. The data indicate a role of Fas/Apo1 regulated apoptosis in EOPA-JCA whic
h is not limited to the affected joints.