Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Zhoushan Hospital, No. 739, Dingshen Road, Lincheng Street, Dinghai District, Zhoushan City, 316000, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
Inflammation. 2015;38(3):935-40. doi: 10.1007/s10753-014-0055-3.
Monocytes and associated cytokines have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 4 (Tim-4) was identified on monocytes/macrophages and dentritic cells (DCs) and plays important roles in regulating the activities of macrophages and DCs. The current study investigated the association between Tim-4 expression and AS. Our results showed that Tim-4 expression on monocytes and Tim-4 level in plasma were highly increased in AS patients than in controls. Furthermore, TNF-α production and bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) have positive relationships with Tim-4 expression in AS patients. High expression of Tim-4 was thought to contribute to the pathogenesis and an underlying mechanism of AS.
单核细胞及其相关细胞因子被证明参与了强直性脊柱炎（AS）的发病机制。T 细胞免疫球蛋白和黏蛋白结构域 4（Tim-4）在单核细胞/巨噬细胞和树突状细胞（DC）上被识别，并在调节巨噬细胞和 DC 的活性方面发挥重要作用。本研究探讨了 Tim-4 表达与 AS 之间的关系。我们的结果表明，AS 患者的单核细胞上的 Tim-4 表达和血浆中的 Tim-4 水平均显著高于对照组。此外，TNF-α 的产生和 Bath 强直性脊柱炎疾病活动指数（BASDAI）与 AS 患者的 Tim-4 表达呈正相关。高表达的 Tim-4 被认为有助于 AS 的发病机制和潜在机制。
