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Macrophage activation and coronary atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis

Young Hee Rho1, Joseph Solus, Paolo Raggi

  • 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, 23rd Avenue South at Pierce Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-6602, USA.

Arthritis Care & Research
|October 5, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Macrophage activation, indicated by higher neopterin levels, is present in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, neopterin did not correlate with coronary atherosclerosis in these patients.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Rheumatology
  • Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

  • Macrophage activation is implicated in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  • Neopterin, a marker of monocyte and macrophage activation, is linked to cardiovascular risk in the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between macrophage activation and accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with SLE and RA.
  • To evaluate serum neopterin concentrations as a marker of macrophage activation in these autoimmune diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Compared serum neopterin levels in patients with SLE (n=148), RA (n=166), and controls (n=177).
  • Assessed correlations between neopterin and disease activity, inflammatory markers, and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in SLE and RA patients.

Main Results:

  • Serum neopterin concentrations were significantly higher in SLE and RA patients compared to controls, and higher in SLE than RA.
  • In SLE, neopterin correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), tumor necrosis factor α, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and homocysteine.
  • In RA, neopterin was only associated with ESR; neopterin was not associated with CAC in either disease.

Conclusions:

  • Macrophage activation, indicated by elevated serum neopterin, is increased in both SLE and RA.
  • Neopterin showed a stronger association with inflammatory mediators and homocysteine in SLE than in RA.
  • Serum neopterin was not associated with coronary atherosclerosis in patients with SLE or RA.
Abstract

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