Plasma acrolein level in rheumatoid arthritis increases independently of the disease characteristics

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to clarify whether plasma acrolein level actually increases in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and to elucidate whether any relationship exists between the levels and the RA background variables.

Methods

Plasma levels of protein-conjugated acrolein (PC-Acro) in 84 patients (RA group) and 298 normal individuals (Control group) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedures. The data were statistically analyzed with Wilcoxon rank-sum test, multiple logistic regression analyses and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient.

Results

The RA group showed significantly higher PC-Acro levels than the Control group (median [interquartile range]: 80.5 [63.2–105.2] and 65.9 [58.9–78.1] nmol/ml, respectively). Of background factors giving influence to PC-Acro level in the combination of the two groups, ‘diagnosis of RA positive’ indicated strong correlation to high PC-Acro level (odds ratio: 2.96; 95% confidence interval: 1.54–5.71). These increases of PC-Acro in the RA patients did not correlate to their disease duration and/or inflammatory variables: PC-Acro level could elevate even in early RA patients showing negative inflammatory findings.

Conclusion

Plasma levels of PC-Acro increased with RA, but the levels did not correlate with RA background variables. This report provides the basis for further studies of early diagnosis of RA as well as its pathogenesis.

Keywords:

• Acrolein
• disease activity
• plasma level
• protein-conjugated acrolein
• rheumatoid arthritis

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Takatoshi Soutome (Graduate School of Health Science, Teikyo Heisei University) for his technical assistance and constructive management of this study and Mr. Larry Frumson for his proofreading of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

H. Kawano has received speakers’ bureaus and/or unrestricted research grants from Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Daichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co., Inc., Ltd., Johnson & Johnson K.K., Kyocera Co., Peter Brahm Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc., Teijin Ltd., Shionogi & Co., Smith & Nephew K.K., Stryker Japan K.K., and Zimmer Biomet G.K., and K. Nishimura has received them from AbbVie GK, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Astellas Pharm Inc., AYUMI Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Daichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Eisai Co., Ltd., Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Nippon-Kayaku Co., Ltd., and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. These sponsors were not involved in this study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of this article; and/or decision to submit the results for publication.