OBJECTIVES We investigated the influence of cytokines on the expression of RANK ligand (RANKL) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes from RA patients (RA-FLS). METHODS RA-FLS were stimulated by IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-17 and IL-1beta with or without soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) for 24 h. The expression of RANKL was measured by real-time PCR, western blotting and immunostaining. In proliferation assay...

OBJECTIVE To assess the ability of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) to function as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for arthritogenic autoantigens found within inflamed joint tissues. METHODS Human class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-typed FLS were used as APCs for murine class II MHC-restricted CD4 T cell hybridomas. Interferon-gamma (IFNgamma)-treated,...

This paper presents a connection admission control (CAC) method that uses a type-2 fuzzy logic system (FLS). Type-2 FLSs can handle linguistic uncertainties. The linguistic knowledge about CAC is obtained from 30 computer network experts. A methodology for representing the linguistic knowledge using type-2 membership functions and processing surveys using type-2 FLS is proposed. The type-2 FLS ...

Fourteen Alpine goats at midlactation were fed a diet of hay and concentrate (55:45), without (control) or with formaldehyde-treated linseed (FLS) or oleic sunflower oil (OSO) at 11.2 or 3.5% of dry matter intake, respectively, in a 3 x 3 Latin Square design with three 3-wk periods. Milk yield was lower in goats fed FLS than control or OSO (2.13 vs. 2.32 kg/d). Milk fat content was higher with ...

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), via interaction with its G-protein coupled receptors, is involved in various pathological conditions. Extracellular LPA is mainly produced by the enzyme autotaxin (ATX). Using fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) isolated from synovial tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we studied the expression profile of LPA receptors, LPA-induced cell migration, an...

This study aimed to determine whether umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSC) regulate Cadherin-11 (CDH11) expression by fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). FLS were isolated from the synovium of RA and osteoarthritis (OA) patients. FLS from RA patients were cocultured with UCMSC in a transwell system. CDH11 mRNA levels in FLS were tested, and levels o...

Flavonol synthase (FLS) was demonstrated in crude extracts from flower buds o f Dianthus caryophyllus (carnation). The enzyme catalyzed the conversion o f dihydrokaempferol and dihydroquercetin to kaempferol and quercetin, respectively. The reaction required 2-oxoglutarate, ferrous ion and ascorbate as co-factors and had a pH optimum at about 7.4. The demonstration o f FLS activity allowed comp...

We are developing retroviral-mediated gene transfer to human fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLS) as one approach to characterizing genetic pathways involved in synoviocyte pathophysiology. Prior work has suggested that FLS are relatively refractory to infection by Moloney murine leukemia virus based vectors. To determine if viral titer influenced the transduction efficiency of FLS, we optimize...

Michihito Kono, MD, Shinsuke Yasuda, MD, PhD, Hideyuki Koide, Takashi Kurita, MD, Yuka Shimizu, MD, Yusaku Kanetsuka, MD, Kenji Oku, MD, PhD, Toshiyuki Bohgaki, MD, PhD, Olga Amengual, MD, PhD, Tetsuya Horita, MD, PhD, Takao Koike, MD, PhD, and Tatsuya Atsumi, MD, PhD: Division of Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Nephrology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan; Richar...