RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Correlation of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 Levels with Response to Infliximab Therapy in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 1158 OP 1165 DO 10.3899/jrheum.081074 VO 36 IS 6 A1 TSUYOSHI ODAI A1 MIZUHO MATSUNAWA A1 RYO TAKAHASHI A1 KUNINOBU WAKABAYASHI A1 TAKEO ISOZAKI A1 NOBUYUKI YAJIMA A1 YUSUKE MIWA A1 TSUYOSHI KASAMA YR 2009 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/6/1158.abstract AB Objective. To examine the relation between serum chemokine levels and patient responsiveness to infliximab, and the influence of infliximab administration on serum chemokine levels. Methods. Serum levels of the chemokines CX3CL1, CXCL8, CCL3, and CXCL10 were quantified prior to (at baseline) and after 30 weeks of treatment with infliximab in 20 patients using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Disease status was assessed using the Disease Activity Score (DAS28). The response to infliximab was classified according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria. Results. By 30 weeks, infliximab produced a significant overall reduction in DAS28 among the 20 patients with RA, although only 12 achieved a good to moderate response based on EULAR response criteria. A significant reduction in CX3CL1 was seen in the responsive group, although infliximab treatment had no significant effect on the serum levels of the other 3 chemokines. Comparison of patients with lower (< 2000 pg/ml) and higher (≥ 2000 pg/ml) basal CX3CL1 levels revealed that DAS28, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and CX3CL1 levels were all significantly diminished by infliximab in RA patients with lower basal CX3CL1 levels, but not in those with higher basal levels. In addition, cell-surface expression of CX3CR1 protein in peripheral blood CD8+CD3+ T cells and mRNA expression of CX3CR1 in lymphocytes were both significantly downregulated after infliximab treatment in the responsive group. Conclusion. Our results suggest that the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 system in patients with active RA may be sensitive to anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy, and confirm that CX3CL1 plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of RA.