Decreases in serum levels of S100A8/9 (calprotectin) correlate with improvements in total swollen joint count in patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to examine the serum levels of S100 proteins and to evaluate their role in patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA).MethodsSerum levels of S100A8/9 and S100A12 were analysed in 43 patients with recent-onset RA, both before and three months after the initiation of conventional treatment, as well as in 32 healthy individuals. Disease activity was assessed based on serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), the Disease Activity Score for 28 joints (DAS28) and the total number of swollen joints count for 66 joints (SJC).ResultsThe levels of serum S100A8/9 and S100A12 were significantly higher in patients with recent-onset RA compared to the levels in healthy individuals (P < 0.0001) and normalised after three months of treatment. Using age- and sex-adjusted analysis, S100A8/9 levels were correlated with CRP (r = 0.439, P < 0.01), DAS28 (r = 0.501, P = 0.002) and SJC (r = 0.443, P = 0.007), while S100A12 was less significantly correlated with these parameters. Higher levels of S100A8/9 at baseline predicted improvement in the levels of CRP and SJC over time. Moreover, decreases in serum S100A8/9 were associated with decreased serum levels of CRP (r = 0.459, P = 0.005) and improvements in SJC (r = 0.459, P = 0.005). In multiple linear regression analyses, decreases in S100A8/9 but not CRP were significant predictors for improvements in SJC (P = 0.001).ConclusionsThis study is the first to show normalisation of elevated S100 proteins in patients with recent-onset RA after the initiation of conventional treatment. Therefore, S100A8/9 might potentially be a predictive marker for improvement in the total number of swollen joints in patients in the early phase of RA.

S100A8+stroma cells predict a good prognosis and inhibit aggressiveness in colorectal carcinoma

“…Based on studies on the serum levels of S100A8, which in healthy controls range from 1058 to 6175 ng/mL, 44,45 we used rhS100A8 at four concentrations (0.1, 1, 2, and 4 mg/mL) compared with untreated controls to simulate the extracellular actions of S100A8 on tumor cells. Our in vitro results revealed that the transcriptional levels of SNAIL and BCL2 were significantly downregulated after high concentrations (2 or 4 mg/mL) of rhS100A8.…”

Serum calprotectin levels correlate with biochemical and histological markers of disease activity in TNBS colitis

“…These cell populations are all elevated in the peripheral blood of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines, and correlate with levels of intestinal inflammation [22,23]. Serum levels of calprotectin are elevated in some inflammatory conditions, and selective removal of peripheral blood activated granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages leads to a decline in fecal calprotectin levels in patients with UC [24,25]. Some studies have demonstrated that calprotectin in the stool can be a good marker to evaluate the activity of the disease as well as predict its severity [25,26].…”

Calprotectin as a marker of inflammation in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis

“…Calprotectin has been shown to be sensitive to change as well as a strong predictor of response to biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) in patients with established RA who did not respond satisfactorily to csDMARDs,23–25 although data are somewhat conflicting 10. In early RA, calprotectin has been shown to decrease with csDMARD therapy,8 and one study showed high baseline levels to predict response to methotrexate in patients with active disease (ie, DAS28>3.2) 26. Baseline calprotectin is associated with levels as well as presence of anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) 10 27 28.…”