ab22601

The effect of taurine chloramine on pro-inflammatory cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients

M. Chorazy-Massalska¹, E. Kontny¹, A. Kornatka¹, M. Rell-Bakalarska², J. Marcinkiewicz³, W. Maslinski¹

¹Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, ²Outpatient's Clinic, Institute of Rheumatology, Warsaw, Poland; ³Department of Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland.

ABSTRACT
Objective
Pro-inflammatory cytokines play a critical role in the pathogenesis of RA. A natural oxidant, TauCl exerts anti-inflammatory activities. Here, the effects of Tau and TauCl on key pro-inflammatory cytokines — IL-1b, IL-6 and TNF-a production by LPS-triggered peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from RA and OA patients and healthy blood donors — were examined.

Methods
PBMCs were stimulated with LPS (24 h) in the presence of Tau or TauCl (200-400 mM). Cytokine production was measured in culture supernatants (secreted) and cells lysates (cell-associated) using specific ELISAs.

Results
Production of the secreted forms of IL-1b and IL-6 was inhibited by TauCl with IC₅₀ » 250 mM and 300-400 mM respectively, in all investigated groups. In all cultures of PBMCs TauCl raised the TNF-a production at the low concentration (200 mM), while at the higher concentration (400 mM) either reduced it (55% of RA, 70% of OA patients and 55% of healthy donors) or exerted no effect (remainder of patients). Interestingly, Tau did not significantly affect any cytokine production.

Conclusion
TauCl at high concentrations down-regulates pro-inflammatory cytokine production. However, the impact of TauCl on TNF-a production by PBMCs from RA is more limited than in cells isolated from OA patients.

Key words
Taurine chloramine (TauCl), pro-inflammatory cytokines, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Please address correspondence to: Ewa Kontny, PhD, Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, Institute of Rheumatology, Spartanska 1, 02-637 Warsaw, Poland.
E-mail: zpatiir@warman.com.pl