High levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha correlate with prolactin in female patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

The relationship between the endocrine immune modulator prolactin and the macrophage activation parameter MIP-1alpha (macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha) was investigated in 61 females with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The chemokine MIP-1alpha was found to be twice as high in active than in inactive RA. Parallel to the inflammatory activity (acute phase response and joint count) and high levels of MIP-1alpha there were markable changes of serum prolactin. MIP-1alpha seems to have an influence on the pituitary hormone secretion. A significant correlation between prolactin and MIP-1alpha (r = 0.67; p < or = 0.00001) point out the bidirectional influence of the immune and endocrine system in RA.