Figure 1

Cluster diagrams of genes that were differentially expressed between 14 patients with RA before the start of rituximab treatment in relation to the ΔDAS28 response outcome at six months. A. Supervised (one-way) hierarchical cluster analysis of baseline gene expression levels of a set of 124 genes that differed at least two-fold in at least three patients. Genes (rows) that are increased relative to the mean are indicated in red, decreased in green and genes that show no difference are indicated in black. Patients were stratified based on changes in ΔDAS28 at six months after the start of treatment in responders (indicated by the orange bar) and non-responders (indicated by light blue bar) ('change in ΔDAS28' from low (left) to high (right)). The supervised analysis revealed five gene clusters of which one, consisting of IRGs, was associated with clinical outcome. B. An expanded view of the subcluster of eight IRGs that is associated with clinical responder status. C. Cluster of eight IRGs associated with ΔDAS28 clinical responder status. D. Cluster of 8 IRGs associated with EULAR clinical responder status. DAS28, 28 joints disease activity score; EULAR, European League against Rheumatism; IRG, interferon response genes.