Fetal cells of mesenchymal origin in cultures derived from synovial tissue and skin of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Microchimerism in the rheumatoid nodules of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

“…Our study of RA patients with clinical features typical of those usually associated with severe RA is, to our knowledge, the first documentation of microchimerism at a site of rheumatoid-specific pathology. A previous study demonstrated microchimerism in synovial cells from the RA-affected synovial tissue of RA patients (11). While the results of that prior study are consistent with those of the present study, synovitis is less specific for RA since it occurs in other diseases; thus, the finding of microchimerism in rheumatoid nodules is a unique contribution.…”

“…Harboring of microchimerism in the blood of RA patients facilitates the distribution of microchimerism to other sites, as suggested by a previous study that found microchimerism in synovial cells and unaffected skin (11). Thus, we hypothesized that microchimerism is present in rheumatoid nodules and that harboring microchimerism in areas prone to mechanical trauma facilitates rheumatoid nodule formation, as trauma and resultant tissue damage lead to immune activation, and alloantigens from microchimerism could serve as a stimulus or target of alloimmunity.…”

Lack of Evidence That Male Fetal Microchimerism is Present in Endometriosis

“…Interestingly, significant fetal cell transfer has been observed during miscarriage and termination of pregnancy by Peterson and coworkers. 32 Studies exploring fetal microchimerism in autoimmune diseases such as thyroid, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus have shown the presence of fetal microchimerism [17][18][19]20,[22][23][24]26,27,29,37 except in 1 study exploring patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (Table 1). 20 -I 4 II 4 III 4 IV 7 Cycle information Regular 8 7 Irregular 2 1 Absent -6 Unknown 2 5 Pain 10 17 Infertility No 1 5 Secondary 10 10 Unknown 1 4 Endometrioma -2 Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.…”

Fetal microchimeric cells in autoimmune thyroid diseases

“…Circulating fetal microchimeric cells in maternal blood have been described in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases, 4 , 9 systemic sclerosis 28 - 31 and multiple sclerosis 32 . Fetal microchimeric cells have also been found in thyroid glands from patients with GD 7 , 9 and HT, 6 , 7 , 10 in labial salivary glands and skin lesions of patients with systemic sclerosis, 22 , 33 - 36 in affected tissue in localized scleroderma, 37 in cervical tissue of patients with cervical cancer, 38 in liver of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis 39 and in synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis 40 . A certain HLA compatibility between mother and fetus may have consequences for the type or number of fetal cells that persist in the mother 41 , 42 .…”

“…After pregnancy, fetal microchimeric cells expressing tissue specific markers have been found in maternal tissues, both healthy and affected 74 . In humans, fetal hepatocytes, 20 , 82 , 83 cardiomyocytes, 21 endothelial cells, bone and cartilage 40 and intestinal epithelium 20 have been detected. In animal models, fetal hepatocytes, 84 kidney tubular epithelium, 84 neurons 85 and glia, 86 and cardiomyocytes 87 have been detected.…”