Constitutive expression of angiopoietin-1 and -2 and modulation of their expression by inflammatory cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts.

Abstract

The angiopoietins are important angiogenic factors constitutively present in RA, and their expression is modulated by certain cytokines. Ang-2 may have an important role in rheumatoid tissue where vigorous angiogenesis is occurring.