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Updated: Apr 8, 2026
Synovial Fluid Analysis to Identify Osteoarthritis
Published on: October 20, 2022
DNA methylation profiling of synovial fluid FLS in rheumatoid arthritis reveals changes common with tissue-derived
John R Glossop1,2, Kim E Haworth1, Richard D Emes3,4
1Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Guy Hilton Research Centre, Thornburrow Drive, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 7QB, UK.
Aim:
Alterations in DNA methylation contribute to the abnormal phenotype of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We profiled genome-wide DNA methylation in these cells from synovial fluid, a more readily accessible source of disease-associated cells.
Patients & Methods:
Genome-wide DNA methylation was interrogated in fluid-derived FLS from five RA and six osteoarthritis patients using Human Methylation 450 Bead Chip and bisulfite pyrosequencing.
Results:
Array analysis identified 328 CpGs, representing 195 genes, that were differentially methylated between RA and osteoarthritis fluid-derived FLS. Comparison with the genes identified in two independent studies of tissue-derived FLS revealed 73 genes in common (~40%), of which 22 shared identity with both studies. Pyrosequencing confirmed altered methylation of these genes.
Conclusion:
Synovial fluid-derived RA FLS show methylation changes common with tissue-derived FLS, supporting the use of fluid-derived FLS for future investigations.
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