RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Upregulation of Thrombospondin 1 Expression in Synovial Tissues and Plasma of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Role of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 toward Fibroblast-like Synovial Cells JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 943 OP 947 DO 10.3899/jrheum.141292 VO 42 IS 6 A1 Takahisa Suzuki A1 Naoki Iwamoto A1 Satoshi Yamasaki A1 Ayako Nishino A1 Yoshikazu Nakashima A1 Yoshiro Horai A1 Shin-ya Kawashiri A1 Kunihiro Ichinose A1 Kazuhiko Arima A1 Mami Tamai A1 Hideki Nakamura A1 Tomoki Origuchi A1 Chikara Miyamoto A1 Makoto Osaki A1 Kaname Ohyama A1 Naotaka Kuroda A1 Atsushi Kawakami YR 2015 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/42/6/943.abstract AB Objective. To investigate the role of thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) in RA. Methods. Expression of TSP-1 in synovial tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry. Expression of TSP-1 in rheumatoid fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLS) was investigated by quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA. Correlations among the plasma TSP-1 and other variables in patients with RA were examined. Results. Expression of TSP-1 was increased in rheumatoid synovial tissues. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) clearly increased TSP-1 expression in FLS on both mRNA and protein levels. Changes in plasma TSP-1 were associated with those in 28-joint Disease Activity Score-erythrocyte sedimentation rate and plasma TGF-β1. Conclusion. TSP-1 might be critically involved in the disease process of RA through the TGF-β1/TSP-1 axis.