@article {Moonjrheum.130356, author = {Su-Jin Moon and Yeon-Sik Hong and Ji Hyeon Ju and Seung-Ki Kwok and Sung-Hwan Park and Jun-Ki Min}, title = {Increased Levels of Interleukin 34 in Serum and Synovial Fluid are Associated with Rheumatoid Factor and Anticyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody Titers in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis}, elocation-id = {jrheum.130356}, year = {2013}, doi = {10.3899/jrheum.130356}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {Objective Interleukin 34 (IL-34) is a recently discovered cytokine that binds macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) receptor. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by increased osteoclastogenesis. To identify the significance of IL-34 in RA, the IL-34 concentration was measured in serum and synovial fluid (SF). Methods IL-34 concentrations were measured in serum from patients with RA (n = 113), patients with osteoarthritis (OA; n = 56), and controls (n = 36), and in SF isolated from patients with RA (n = 36) or OA (n = 24). Correlations between serum IL-34 levels and clinical features in RA were assessed. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17α, interferon-γ-induced protein 10, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), and Dickkopf-1 were also measured. Results Patients with RA had a higher mean serum level of IL-34 than did patients with OA and controls (188.0 {\textpm} 550.3, 36.6 {\textpm} 38.0, and 49.1 {\textpm} 78.5 pg/ml, respectively). Similarly, SF IL-34 concentration was higher in patients with RA than in those with OA. IL-34 levels were positively associated with IL-6 levels in serum from patients with RA and OA. SF IL-34 concentration correlated significantly with IL-6 and RANKL levels only in RA. The serum level of IL-34 was not correlated with systemic osteoporosis and radiographic joint damage in RA. IL-34 levels in the serum from patients with RA were positively correlated with rheumatoid factor and anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody titers (r = 0.282 and 0.491, respectively). Conclusion Circulating IL-34 levels in RA correlated with autoantibody production. Further investigations of localized and systemic effects of IL-34 are warranted to elucidate RA pathogenesis.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2013/08/29/jrheum.130356}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2013/08/29/jrheum.130356.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }