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Role of tumor necrosis factor‐α and platelet‐activating factor in neoangiogenesis induced by synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Author(s) -
Lupia Enrico,
Montrucchio Giuseppe,
Battaglia Edda,
Modena Vittorio,
Camussi Giovanni
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.1830260804
Subject(s) - synovial fluid , tumor necrosis factor alpha , rheumatoid arthritis , angiogenesis , matrigel , platelet activating factor , osteoarthritis , in vivo , immunology , arthritis , cancer research , medicine , pathology , biology , alternative medicine , microbiology and biotechnology
Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate in vivo in a mouse model the stimulation of neoangiogenesis by synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and platelet‐activating factor (PAF) in the formation of new vessels. Angiogenesis was studied in a mouse model in which Matrigel, injected subcutaneously, was used as a vehicle for the delivery of potential angiogenic stimuli. Synovial fluids of patients with RA but not with osteoarthritis (OA) were shown to induce neoangiogenesis. Since synovial fluid of patients with RA contained significantly higher levels of TNF‐α‐like bioactivity and of PAF than that of patients with OA, the role of these mediators was evaluated by using an anti‐TNF‐α neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) and a PAF receptor antagonist, WEB 2170. When added to Matrigel, anti‐TNF‐α mAb and particularly WEB 2170 significantly reduced neoangiogenesis induced by synovial fluids of RA patients. Moreover, PAF extracted and purified from synovial fluid induced angiogenesis. These results suggest that the neoangiogenesis observed in rheumatoid synovitis may be due, at least in part, to the angiogenic effect of locally produced TNF‐α and PAF.