[Prostaglandin E2, interleukin 1 and gamma interferon production of mononuclear cells of patients with inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases].

Inflammatory joint diseases exhibit distinct pathohistological and immunological characteristics. The studies performed demonstrated that in comparison to normal controls peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presented an increased percentage of monocytic cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with RA produced significantly increased amounts of prostaglandin E2 and significantly decreased amounts of interferon-gamma following mitogen stimulation with LPS or PWM respectively. The spontaneous production of interleukin 1 was found to be elevated. A significantly increased LPS induced production of prostaglandin E2 could also be observed in monocyte depleted rheumatoid peripheral cells and in peripheral cells of patients with osteoarthritis and HLAB27 associated joint diseases. Mononuclear cells from rheumatoid synovial tissue produced increased amounts of prostaglandin E2 and decreased amounts of interferon-gamma; the spontaneous prostaglandin E2 production was similar to the values obtained by mitogen stimulation which may originate from the distinct cellular composition of synovial tissue.