Salicylazosulfapyridine Inhibits Maturation and Function of Dendritic Cell Derived from Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract: Dendritic cell (DC) play a pivotal role in RA pathogenesis. To understand therapeutic mechanism of salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)， the affect of SASP on DC was investigated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from 18 patients with RA were stimulated by GM-CSF， IL-4 to develop into immature DC. They can finally differentiate into mature DC in the presence of TNF-α. Compared with these DC， SASP-treated DC showed lower levels of CD86 and HLA-DR expression and less capacity of stimulating T cell proliferation. We found that SASP could inhibit DC maturation， but not development of DC precursor from PBMC. Moreover， the abilities of mature DC to stimulate T cell proliferation and produce IL-12 could also be restricted by SASP. This suggests that the therapeutic effect of SASP on RA maybe associated with its ability of inhibiting DC maturation， immune activity and IL-12 secretion.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2008.06.0019