Proteomic profiling reveals a distinct inflammatory microenvironment in trigger finger

Abstract Trigger finger is a common hand disorder, but the contribution of local inflammation to its pathophysiology remains unclear. This study investigated the inflammatory protein profile of the tendon–pulley apparatus in patients with trigger finger, with particular attention to mediators associated with atopic inflammation. Biopsies were obtained during surgery from the A1 pulley and flexor tendon of affected and adjacent asymptomatic fingers in 16 patients. Sixty-two tissue samples were analyzed using a multiplex panel of 71 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a distinct inflammatory protein profile in A1 pulleys from trigger fingers compared with controls. The levels of eleven cytokines had the capacity of discriminating between trigger and control pulleys according to multivariate analysis, including several mediators associated with leukocyte recruitment, fibrosis, and atopic inflammation. No significant multivariate separation was observed in tendon samples. These findings demonstrate a localized inflammatory microenvironment in the A1 pulley of trigger fingers and suggest that inflammatory, fibrotic, and atopy-associated pathways may contribute to disease pathophysiology. This molecular characterization may provide a basis for further molecular studies and development of targeted therapeutic approaches.