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Intracellular and surface RANKL are differentially regulated in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

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Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterized by ankylosis of axial joints but osteoporosis is also a well-reported feature. T cells have been implicated as a source of receptor activator of NFκB ligand (RANKL) in inflammatory bone diseases. Hence, we assessed whether T cells in patients with AS act as a source of RANKL too. Therefore, we investigated the expression of RANKL on T cells from 21 patients with AS by flow cytometry. Bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated by quantitative computer tomography (QCT) and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and correlated with serum levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and RANKL. BMD was decreased in 45% of all patients when measured with DXA (48% with QCT) and correlated negatively with OPG. Expression of intracellular RANKL was increased on CD4+ (84 vs. 70%) and CD8+ (85.2 vs. 65.3%, P < 0.05) T cells in patients with AS, whereas expression of membrane-bound RANKL was significantly lower (CD4+: 2.2 vs. 8.5% and CD8+: 0.7 vs. 3.2%, P < 0.01). Our results indicate that surface and intracellular RANKL production is differentially regulated on T cells of patients with AS.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to all enrolled patients with ankylosing spondylitis, especially to Maria Nimführ, the president of the support group “Morbus Bechterew” in Vienna, for their dedication and participation in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathophysiology, Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Daniela Stupphann, Martina Rauner, Dagmar Krenbek, Janina Patsch & Peter Pietschmann

  2. Medical Department II, St. Vincent Hospital, Stumpergasse 13, Vienna, Austria

    Thomas Pirker, Christian Muschitz & Heinrich Resch

Authors
  1. Daniela Stupphann
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  2. Martina Rauner
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  3. Dagmar Krenbek
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  4. Janina Patsch
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  5. Thomas Pirker
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Correspondence to Daniela Stupphann.

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Stupphann, D., Rauner, M., Krenbek, D. et al. Intracellular and surface RANKL are differentially regulated in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol Int 28, 987–993 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-008-0567-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-008-0567-y

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