The human synovial fluid proteome: A key factor in the pathology of joint disease

This review aims to summarise our knowledge to date on the protein complement of the synovialfluid (SF). The tissues, structure and pathophysiology of the synovial joint are briefly described.The salient features of the SF proteome, how it is composed and the influence of arthritic diseaseare highlighted and discussed. The concentrations of proteins that have been detected andquantified in SF are drawn together from the literature on osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritisand juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The measurements are plotted to give a perspective on the dynamicrange of protein levels within the SF. Approaches to proteomic analysis of SF to date arediscussed along with their findings. From the recent literature reviewed within, it is becomingincreasingly clear that analysis of the SF proteome as a whole, could deliver the most valuabledifferential diagnostic fingerprints of a number of arthritic disorders. Further development ofproteomic platforms could characterise prognostic profiles to improve the clinician’s ability toresolve unremitting disease by existing and novel therapeutics.