Cytokine profiles and immune cell distribution in chronic infection-associated inflammatory arthritis 4090

Description Chronic infection-associated inflammatory arthritis is a poorly understood phenomenon and varies by the associated infection. Infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C, lyme disease, cytomegalovirus, and numerous others can not only cause patients to develop arthralgias, but synovial inflammation with inflammatory infiltrate. Based on our prior studies looking at HIV-infected humanized mouse models, there is significant inflammation that develops in the synovial tissue with elevated levels of GM-CSF, TNF, and IL-17. Our current studies are now focused on studying a diverse group of patients with chronic infections that developed inflammatory arthritis and look for patterns of immune cell distribution and cytokine profiles between the various infections. Patients were compared with healthy controls as well as patients with rheumatoid arthritis who tested negative for these infections. Increased inflammatory cells were seen in patients with chronic infections in the serum which was similar to the rheumatoid arthritis patients. Uniquely, elevated levels of GM-CSF were seen in the patients with HIV and hepatitis B and C that correspond with the prior mouse model data. Our data will help provide additional insight into not only the immunology and pathology associated with various infections, but insights into the development of various forms of inflammatory arthritis. Funding Sources Mayo Clinic Benefactor-funded Early Career Development Award in Rheumatology Topic Categories Immune Mechanisms of Human Disease (HUM)