Synovial fluid protein content

Chapman, M.L., Rubin, B.R and Gracy, RW. (1989). Increased carbonyl content of proteins in synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J. Rheumatol. 16, 15-18. 

Synovial The total protein content of synovial fluid results obtained from the proteomic... 

The lower degree of polymerization of hyaluronic acid present in rheumatoid fluids (B3, BIO, B13, B18) undoubtedly impairs the effectiveness of the fluid as a lubricant between joints. Another factor contributing to this may be the lower concentration of hyaluronic acid found in certain rheumatoid effusions. Special viscosity and elastic properties are exhibited by hyaluronic acid in synovial fluid in concentrations in excess of 0.2 g/lOO ml (Bll) the concentration of hyaluronic acid in inflamed joint fluids of rheumatoid arthritis is generally less than this value. In a recent investigation, Hamerman and Sandson (H4) found that, apart from a reduced anomalous viscosity, the hyaluronate-protein complexes of synovial fluid differed from normal and showed increases in both protein content and amounts of basic amino acids. 

The bioanalyst can be required to analyse most biofluids although the most common are urine and the aqueous phase of blood, i.e. plasma or serum. Other samples may be cell and tissue extracts, synovial fluid, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and saliva. In the case of urine and CSF with their very low protein content it might be possible to directly inject the sample into an HPLC column. With most silica-based packing materials, direct injection of blood proteins will rapidly lead to column deterioration. HPLC columns are expensive and their efficiency is easily lost so correct preparation of samples will not only improve column life but also improve the results. At its simplest it is only necessary to remove particulate matter from samples to prevent clogging of the column and frits. Modern HPLC packings are very susceptible to contamination by proteins, fats and other macromolecules from biological samples and it is necessary to remove these (except of course for protein analysis). 

The biochemical tests which can be performed on synovial fluid include protein content (which is raised in inflammatory dis-... 

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