Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) with a high incidence and high morbidity, the pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Fibroblast-like synovial cells excessive proliferation and synovial angiogenesis is the most important cause of RA synovitis and joint destruction. Our study was to find the role of Sonic Hedgehog(SHH) pathway in regulating proliferation of fibroblast-like synovial cells and modulating excess angiogenesis of synovial tissue.

4ml blood from active RA patients(n=35) and healthy volunteers (n=35) will be collected

• peripheral blood mononuclear cells will be detached
• messenger ribonucleic acid expression of Sonic Hedgehog pathway associated factors in both groups will be detected

Synovial tissues from 4 RA patients and 4 patients with traumatic or meniscal injury who need to carry out knee joint replacement operation will be collected

• inflammatory feature of synovial tissue will be observed
• the expression of Shh, Ptch1, Gli1 and Smo in synovial tissue will be detected by immunohistochemistry assay
• fibroblast-like synoviocytes will be cultured from synovial tissue of RA patients

Inclusion Criteria:

• definitely diagnosed
• the disease is active (DAS28>3.2)

Exclusion Criteria:

• combined with severe organ dysfunction
• combined with other rheumatic diseases

residents of south China