Th1/Th17 cytokine profiles in patients with reactive arthritis/undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy

Recombinant Salmonella typhimurium outer membrane protein A is recognized by synovial fluid CD8 cells and stimulates synovial fluid mononuclear cells to produce interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 in patients with reactive arthritis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy

In developing countries, one-third of patients with reactive arthritis (ReA) and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy (uSpA) are triggered by Salmonella typhimurium. Synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs) of patients with ReA and uSpA proliferate to low molecular weight fractions (lmwf) of outer membrane proteins (Omp) of S. typhimurium. To characterize further the immunity of Omp of Salmonella, cellular immune response to two recombinant proteins of lmwf, OmpA and OmpD of S. typhimurium (rOmpA/D-sal) was assessed in 30 patients with ReA/uSpA. Using flow cytometry, 17 of 30 patients' SF CD8(+) T cells showed significant intracellular interferon (IFN)-γ to Omp crude lysate of S. typhimurium. Of these 17, 11 showed significantly more CD8(+) CD69(+) IFN-γ T cells to rOmpA-sal, whereas only four showed reactivity to rOmpD-sal. The mean stimulation index was significantly greater in rOmpA-sal than rOmpD-sal [3·0 (1·5-6·5) versus 1·5 (1·0-2·75), P < 0·005]. Similarly, using enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) in these 17 patients, the mean spots of IFN-γ-producing SFMCs were significantly greater in rOmpA-sal than rOmpD-sal [44·9 (3·5-130·7) versus 19·25 (6-41), P < 0·05]. SFMCs stimulated by rOmpA-sal produced significantly more proinflammatory cytokines than rOmpD-sal: IFN-γ [1·44 (0·39-20·42) versus 0·72 (0·048-9·15) ng/ml, P < 0·05], interleukin (IL)-17 [28·60 (6·15-510·86) versus 11·84 (6·83-252·62) pg/ml, P < 0·05], IL-23 [70·19 (15-1161·16) versus 28·25 (> 15-241·52) pg/ml, P < 0·05] and IL-6 [59·78 (2·03-273·36) versus 10·17 (0·004-190·19) ng/ml, P < 0·05]. The rOmpA-sal-specific CD8(+) T cell response correlated with duration of current synovitis (r = 0·53, P < 0·05). Thus, OmpA of S. typhimurium is a target of SF CD8(+) T cells and drives SFMC to produce increased cytokines of the IL-17/IL-23 axis which contribute to the pathogenesis of Salmonella-triggered ReA.

Immunopathogenesis of reactive arthritis: Role of the cytokines

Reactive arthritis (ReA), also known as sterile postinfectious arthritis, belongs to the group of related arthropathies known as spondyloarthritis (SpA). ReA can arise 1-4 wk after a gastrointestinal or genitourinary infection, but once arthritis develops, the microorganism is not found in the joint. The classical microbes associated with ReA development include Gram-negative aerobic or microaerophilic bacteria containing LPS in their outer membrane. The immunopathogenic mechanisms involved in ReA development are still unknown. A hypothesis suggested that the bacteria probably persist outside the joint, at sites such as gut mucosa or lymph nodes, and bacterial antigens might then be transported to the joints. On the other hand, an altered immune response and the unbalanced production of cytokines have been reported in subjects with ReA. Currently, there is increased evidence to suggest that both mechanisms would operate in the immunopathogenesis of ReA. In this review we highlight recent advances on the role of cytokines in the ReA. Particularly, we discuss the roles of some pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines involved in the immunopathogenesis of ReA.