Kinetics of cytokine secretion by mononuclear cells of the blood from rheumatoid arthritis patients are different from those of healthy controls.

Mononuclear cells from peripheral blood (PBMC) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls were incubated with alpha-CD3. Cytokine secretion from 2 h to 72 h of incubation was measured by ELISA. There were no significant differences in secretion of T cell derived IL-2 and IL-4 in cultures from RA patients and controls. The macrophage-derived cytokines, IL-1 beta and tumour-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were secreted with a steep increase of concentration during the first 16 h of incubation by PBMC from RA patients. PBMC from healthy controls secreted both cytokines at a constantly rising rate with a maximum for TNF-alpha at 48 h and for IL-1 beta at 72 h. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is secreted in significantly reduced concentrations by PBMC from untreated RA patients compared with controls. Gold-salt treatment led to a slightly delayed and enhanced secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta, an enhanced secretion of IL-2 and a restored secretion of IFN-gamma.