CIRCULATING CONCENTRATIONS AND PRODUCTION OF CYTOKINES AND SOLUBLE RECEPTORS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS: EFFECTS OF A SINGLE DOSE METHOTREXATE

Methotrexate (MTX) is an effective treatment for RA and its effects may be partly due to cytokine modulation. Herein, we assessed the effects of a single MTX dose on the production and circulating concentrations of several cytokines and soluble receptors in 42 RA patients on three consecutive days. Three patient groups were studied: (a) 16 patients taking the first MTX dose, (b) 11 patients on chronic MTX treatment and (c) a control group of 15 patients not treated with MTX. Cytokine production was studied in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) and in a whole-blood culture system (WBCS). Group (a) had a more active disease according to laboratory parameters as well as higher circulating IL-6 levels (P=0.002)