Re: Melatonin in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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ls of the New York Academy of Sciences 966:271-275 (2002)

© 2002 New York Academy of Sciences

Melatonin in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Synovial Macrophages Show Melatonin Receptors

GEORGES J.M. MAESTRONIa, ALBERTO SULLIb, CARMEN PIZZORNIb, BARBARA

VILLAGGIOb AND MAURIZIO CUTOLOb

aCentre for Experimental Pathology, Istituto Cantonale di Patologia,

Locarno, Switzerland

bDivision of Rheumathology, Department of Internal Medicine, University

of Genova, Genova, Italy

Address for correspondence: s J.M. Maestroni, M.D., Istituto di

Patologia, Via in Selva 24, 6601 Locarno, Switzerland. Voice: 0041 91

7562671; fax: 0041 91 752650.

georges.maestroni@...

Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 966: 271-275 (2002).

The pineal neurohormone melatonin is widely recognized as exerting

important immunoenhancing effects that act on specific receptors in

immunocompetent cells. This action results in stimulation of cytokine

production in lymphocytes and macrophages. Here we report that the

nocturnal plasma concentration of melatonin in rheumatoid arthritis

(RA) patients is higher than in healthy controls. Furthermore,

melatonin is present in the synovial fluid of RA patients and synovial

macrophages express a specific binding site. We suggest that melatonin

may exert a disease-promoting role in RA.