Stimulated chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in rheumatoid arthritis: in vivo enhancement by auranofin.

The aim of the study was to investigate the interaction of opsonized zymosan with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) from 26 rheumatoid arthritis patients (six males and 20 females; mean age, 51.88 +/- 11.15 years; range, 33-72 years) and 11 control subjects (two males and nine females; mean age, 56.54 +/- 12.1 years; range, 33-75 years) using a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence (CL). The data obtained suggest that the opsonized zymosan stimulated CL is decreased in untreated rheumatoid patients compared with control subjects. The decreased stimulated CL may be the result of a physico-chemical alteration of the membrane (including decreased membrane fluidity and translocation of receptor sites) induced by free radicals of oxygen and/or by multiple exposures to chemotaxins. Auranofin enhances stimulated CL although the mechanism is not clear. Auranofin could interact with membrane lipids, induce changes in membrane surface charges and increase membrane fluidity. Our results are difficult to compare with those of previous studies, since different assays, and chemoattractants were applied. In addition, the disease activity and medication were also different.