Gene expression of Interleukin-18 in rheumatoid arthritis patients on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation that is mediated by the macrophages and monocytes that cause release of pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-18. It is highly expressed in serum of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and has a positive association with disease activity. The aim of this study was to analyze the gene expression of interleukin-18 in rheumatoid arthritis patients on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapy. METHODS: The cross sectional comparative study is conducted at Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Research in Experimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM-1Lab), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, in collaboration with Rheumatology Department, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi. Study was conducted on two groups consisting of Group-I of rheumatoid arthritis patients on diseases modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and control Group-II comprising of normal healthy individuals. Non-probability purposive sampling was done from patients and controls. The duration of study was one year i-e from November 2015 to November 2016. Relative quantification of gene expression of interleukin-18 was done by Real time PCR using ∆∆CT method. RESULTS: Expression analysis for interleukin-18 showed down regulation of gene in rheumatoid arthritis patients as compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Interleukin-18 gene shows down regulation in rheumatoid arthritis patients on disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs therapy.