Plasminogen activators and their inhibitors in synovial fluids from normal, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis knees

Article Abstract:

Plasminogen activator (PA) and inhibitor (PAI) levels in knee joint fluid appear to correlate with disease types in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) as compared to normal fluid samples. PAs and PAIs regulate the activity of plasmin, an enzyme involved in the breakdown of proteins. Researchers analyzed PA and PAI marker levels in the knee joint fluid of 17 patients with RA, 71 patients with OA, and 26 healthy volunteers. These markers included PAI-1 antigen, PAI-2 antigen, tissue-type PA (tPA) antigen, urokinase-type PA (uPA) antigen, and uPA receptor (uPAR). All of these levels were highest in patients with RA, followed by patients with OA. These levels were lowest in the joints of healthy volunteers. Patients with nodal generalized OA had lower tPA and uPAR levels than the rest of the group with OA. PA and PAI marker levels were similar across age categories among the healthy group.

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Plasminogen activation in synovial tissues: differences between normal, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis joints

Article Abstract:

Differences seen in the activity levels of various enzymes called plasminogen activators may partly explain the different tissue deterioration patterns seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Levels of tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase (uPA) were determined in synovial membrane samples from 10 patients with RA, 14 patients with OA, and seven normal cadavers (control group). uPA activity was highest in samples from patients with RA, typically observed in areas of cell reproduction. tPA activity was highest in samples from patients with OA and in the control group.

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Chondroitin sulphation patterns in synovial fluid in osteoarthritis subsets

Article Abstract:

The levels of chondroitin sulphate components in the synovial fluid of arthritic knees are lower than in normal knees. The concentration of these glycosaminoglycans, which are related to destructive and constructive processes in joint cartilage, was lowest in rheumatoid arthritic joints and subnormal in osteoarthritic joints.

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