AB0228 CHILDREN WITH EXTENDED OLIGOARTICULAR AND POLYARTICULAR JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS HAVE A CYTOKINE PATTERN FAVOURING B CELL ACTIVATION IN CIRCULATION SIMILARLY TO EARLY AND ESTABLISHED RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS
Authors: Rita A. Moura, Filipa Oliveira-Ramos, Cláudia Marques, Alexandre Brito, Rui L. Teixeira, Vasco Romão, Raquel Campanilho-Marques, Vítor Teixeira, Maria João Saavedra, Cristina Ponte, Nikita Khmelinskii, Joao Eurico Fonseca
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Background</h3> The majority of polyarticular JIA (pJIA) and a large fraction of extended oligoarticular JIA (oJIA) patients fulfil classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adulthood. B cells play several important roles in RA pathogenesis, but it is still unclear if the pattern of B cell involvement in pJIA and extended oJIA follows what has been described for adults with RA. <h3>Objectives</h3> The main goal of this study was to determine the concentration of cytokines potentially relevant for B cell activation in serum from children with pJIA and extended oJIA when compared to children with persistent oJIA, adult JIA, early and established RA patients. <h3>Methods</h3> Serum samples were collected from children with extended oJIA (n=8), persistent oJIA (n=6), pJIA (n=6), adult JIA (n=8), untreated early RA (&lt; 1 year of disease duration, n=12), established RA patients treated with synthetic DMARDs (n=10) and two corresponding groups of age- and sex-matched healthy donors (children, n=6 and adults, n=10). A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), B-cell activating factor (BAFF), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-21 serum levels were measured by ELISA. <h3>Results</h3> Children with extended oJIA, early and established RA patients had significantly higher BAFF serum levels when compared to controls, but no significant differences were observed in children with persistent oJIA, pJIA and adult JIA when compared to all groups included. APRIL serum levels were significantly increased in all patient groups when compared to controls, except in adult JIA, who had similar APRIL concentrations in comparison to controls. In addition, children with extended oJIA and pJIA had significantly higher APRIL serum levels when compared to adult JIA. IL-6 serum levels were significantly increased in children with extended oJIA, pJIA, early and established RA when compared to controls, but no significant differences were found in children with persistent oJIA and adult JIA patients. IL-21 serum levels were significantly increased in early RA when compared to controls, but no significant differences were observed between any of the other groups included. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The similarity in B cell cytokine pattern found between extended oJIA, pJIA, early and established RA patients, contrarily to what was observed in persistent oJIA, suggests an early B cell involvement in the pathogenesis of extended oJIA and pJIA as described for RA. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> Rita A. Moura: None declared, Filipa Oliveira-Ramos: None declared, Cláudia Marques: None declared, Alexandre Brito: None declared, Rui L. Teixeira: None declared, Vasco Romão: None declared, Raquel Campanilho-Marques: None declared, Vítor Teixeira: None declared, Maria João Saavedra: None declared, Cristina Ponte Speakers bureau: Roche, Nikita Khmelinskii: None declared, Joao Eurico Fonseca: None declared