Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Proinflammatory cytokines are central to disease mechanisms and important therapeutic targets in inflammatory chronic diseases. This exploratory study aimed to compare cytokine concentrations in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) synovial fluid in children with juve...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Paula Frid, Josefine M. Halbig, Per Alstergren, Johanna Rykke Berstad, Lena Cetrelli, Astrid Jullumstrø Feuerherm, Berit Flatø, Annika Rosen, Karen Rosendahl, Marite Rygg, Veronika Rypdal, Nils-Thomas Songstad, Berit Tømmerås, Ellen Nordal, Mohammed Al-Haroni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-025-01118-y
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850113273221873664
author Paula Frid
Josefine M. Halbig
Per Alstergren
Johanna Rykke Berstad
Lena Cetrelli
Astrid Jullumstrø Feuerherm
Berit Flatø
Annika Rosen
Karen Rosendahl
Marite Rygg
Veronika Rypdal
Nils-Thomas Songstad
Berit Tømmerås
Ellen Nordal
Mohammed Al-Haroni
author_facet Paula Frid
Josefine M. Halbig
Per Alstergren
Johanna Rykke Berstad
Lena Cetrelli
Astrid Jullumstrø Feuerherm
Berit Flatø
Annika Rosen
Karen Rosendahl
Marite Rygg
Veronika Rypdal
Nils-Thomas Songstad
Berit Tømmerås
Ellen Nordal
Mohammed Al-Haroni
author_sort Paula Frid
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Proinflammatory cytokines are central to disease mechanisms and important therapeutic targets in inflammatory chronic diseases. This exploratory study aimed to compare cytokine concentrations in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and controls. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we included consecutive children with JIA and TMJ arthritis, planned for a TMJ corticosteroid injection, and non-JIA controls from three different centers in Norway. Data on demographics, disease activity, presence of TMJ arthritis, and medication were obtained. Samples of unstimulated saliva, serum, and TMJ synovial fluid were collected. The amount of recovered synovial fluid in each sample, collected by the push-and-pull technique, was quantified with the hydroxocobalamin method. Cytokine levels were analyzed using Luminex xMAP technology. Results Fifteen patients with JIA and TMJ arthritis (JIA-TMJ) (median age 15.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 11.0–16.0) years) and 34 controls (median age 13.0 (IQR 9.8–15.0) years) were consecutively recruited. Samples of saliva (JIA-TMJ, n = 13, and controls, n = 28), serum (JIA-TMJ, n = 11, and controls, n = 16), and TMJ synovial fluid (JIA-TMJ, n = 8) were collected. In saliva from JIA-TMJ, we found significantly higher levels of the cytokines IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, Eotaxin, FGF basic, GM CSF, PDGF bb, TNF, and RANTES, while IP-10 was found in significantly lower concentration compared to controls. In serum, there were no significant differences in these cytokine concentrations between JIA-TMJ and controls. Three TMJ synovial samples fulfilled the strict sampling criteria and were included in the analysis. The level of detected cytokines in TMJ synovial samples was higher in JIA-TMJ compared to controls, as described in a previous Nordic study. Conclusions In this exploratory study, several proinflammatory cytokines were found in higher concentrations in saliva in JIA-TMJ compared to saliva from the controls. No differences were seen in serum between the groups. Some pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines detected in JIA-TMJ synovial fluid were found in higher concentrations compared to TMJ synovial fluid from healthy adult reference data.
format Article
id doaj-art-31cc2dca4ef542e2b0b6e88b4ba8ce3c
institution OA Journals
issn 1546-0096
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal
spelling doaj-art-31cc2dca4ef542e2b0b6e88b4ba8ce3c2025-08-20T02:37:13ZengBMCPediatric Rheumatology Online Journal1546-00962025-06-0123111210.1186/s12969-025-01118-yCytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional studyPaula Frid0Josefine M. Halbig1Per Alstergren2Johanna Rykke Berstad3Lena Cetrelli4Astrid Jullumstrø Feuerherm5Berit Flatø6Annika Rosen7Karen Rosendahl8Marite Rygg9Veronika Rypdal10Nils-Thomas Songstad11Berit Tømmerås12Ellen Nordal13Mohammed Al-Haroni14Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital North NorwayPublic Dental Service Competence Centre of North NorwayScandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON), Faculty of Odontology, Malmö UniversityDepartment of ENT and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oslo University HospitalCenter for Oral Health Services and Research (TkMidt)Center for Oral Health Services and Research (TkMidt)University of OsloDepartment of Clinical Dentistry, University of BergenDepartment of Radiology, University Hospital North-Norway, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayDepartment of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayDepartment of Clinical Dentistry, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayDepartment of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayDepartment of Clinical Dentistry, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayAbstract Background Proinflammatory cytokines are central to disease mechanisms and important therapeutic targets in inflammatory chronic diseases. This exploratory study aimed to compare cytokine concentrations in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and controls. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we included consecutive children with JIA and TMJ arthritis, planned for a TMJ corticosteroid injection, and non-JIA controls from three different centers in Norway. Data on demographics, disease activity, presence of TMJ arthritis, and medication were obtained. Samples of unstimulated saliva, serum, and TMJ synovial fluid were collected. The amount of recovered synovial fluid in each sample, collected by the push-and-pull technique, was quantified with the hydroxocobalamin method. Cytokine levels were analyzed using Luminex xMAP technology. Results Fifteen patients with JIA and TMJ arthritis (JIA-TMJ) (median age 15.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 11.0–16.0) years) and 34 controls (median age 13.0 (IQR 9.8–15.0) years) were consecutively recruited. Samples of saliva (JIA-TMJ, n = 13, and controls, n = 28), serum (JIA-TMJ, n = 11, and controls, n = 16), and TMJ synovial fluid (JIA-TMJ, n = 8) were collected. In saliva from JIA-TMJ, we found significantly higher levels of the cytokines IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, Eotaxin, FGF basic, GM CSF, PDGF bb, TNF, and RANTES, while IP-10 was found in significantly lower concentration compared to controls. In serum, there were no significant differences in these cytokine concentrations between JIA-TMJ and controls. Three TMJ synovial samples fulfilled the strict sampling criteria and were included in the analysis. The level of detected cytokines in TMJ synovial samples was higher in JIA-TMJ compared to controls, as described in a previous Nordic study. Conclusions In this exploratory study, several proinflammatory cytokines were found in higher concentrations in saliva in JIA-TMJ compared to saliva from the controls. No differences were seen in serum between the groups. Some pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines detected in JIA-TMJ synovial fluid were found in higher concentrations compared to TMJ synovial fluid from healthy adult reference data.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-025-01118-yJuvenile idiopathic arthritisBiomarkersCytokinesChildrenTMJ arthritisSaliva
spellingShingle Paula Frid
Josefine M. Halbig
Per Alstergren
Johanna Rykke Berstad
Lena Cetrelli
Astrid Jullumstrø Feuerherm
Berit Flatø
Annika Rosen
Karen Rosendahl
Marite Rygg
Veronika Rypdal
Nils-Thomas Songstad
Berit Tømmerås
Ellen Nordal
Mohammed Al-Haroni
Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study
Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Biomarkers
Cytokines
Children
TMJ arthritis
Saliva
title Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study
title_full Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study
title_short Cytokines in saliva, serum, and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: An explorative cross-sectional study
title_sort cytokines in saliva serum and temporomandibular joint synovial fluid in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis an explorative cross sectional study
topic Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Biomarkers
Cytokines
Children
TMJ arthritis
Saliva
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-025-01118-y
work_keys_str_mv AT paulafrid cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT josefinemhalbig cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT peralstergren cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT johannarykkeberstad cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT lenacetrelli cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT astridjullumstrøfeuerherm cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT beritflatø cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT annikarosen cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT karenrosendahl cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT mariterygg cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT veronikarypdal cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT nilsthomassongstad cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT berittømmeras cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT ellennordal cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy
AT mohammedalharoni cytokinesinsalivaserumandtemporomandibularjointsynovialfluidinchildrenwithjuvenileidiopathicarthritisanexplorativecrosssectionalstudy