Predominantly T-Cell Infiltrate in Rheumatoid Synovial Membranes

Abstract

Lymphocytes infiltrating synovial membranes were characterized in eight patients with proliferative rheumatoid synovitis. Surface immunoglobulins were studied with use of immunofluorescence, and the C3 receptor was detected by adherence of red cells coated with antibody and complement - both are B-cell markers. Spontaneous rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes was used as a T-cell marker. To obtain viable lymphocytes in suspension, the villous synovium of five of these patients was digested with collagenase and deoxyribonuclease. Populations enriched in lymphocytes could be obtained by velocity sedimentation. Whereas only 9 to 35 per cent of lymphocytes bore surface immunoglobulins, the majority (70 to 85 per cent) formed sheep-erythrocyte rosettes. Cells bearing the C3 receptor constituted a distinct minority of synovial lymphocytes in frozen-tissue sections, and were found in follicle-like accumulations. These data indicate that the predominant infiltrating lymphocyte in proliferative rheumatoid synovitis is a T cell.

Etiopathogenesis of the rheumatoid arthritis–like disease in MRL/1 mice. I. The histomorphologic basis of joint destruction

“…The dissociation between the destructive process and inflammation in joints of MRL/l mice differs somewhat from earlier observations in RA, in which cartilage destruction and synovial cell proliferation were described as being generally associated with infiltration of the synovial stroma by mononuclear inflammatory cells and by proliferation of small stroma1 vessels which are also surrounded by mononuclear inflammatory cells (3,14). Moreover, in human rheumatoid synovium, macrophage-like HLA-DR+ cells interdigitating with OKT4+ lymphocytes have been detected (15).…”

Participation of monocyte-macrophages and lymphocytes in the production of a factor that stimulates collagenase and prostaglandin release by rheumatoid synovial cells.

“…It is known that the pannus includes synovial lining "A" and "B" cells, lymphocytes, plasma cells, phagocytic cells, uncharacterized multinucleated giant cells, fibroblasts, and the endothelial cells of the blood vessel walls, among others (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10). Interactions among these cells are likely to be important in determining the character, tempo, and intensity of the destruictive process.…”

Molecular Basis for Recognition of an Arthritic Peptide and a Foreign Epitope on Distinct MHC Molecules by a Single TCR

“…T cells have been implicated in RA pathogenesis both by their presence in joint lesions (2) and the association of particular MHC class II molecules with disease risk and progression (3)(4)(5). While the T cell autoantigens targeted in RA remain elusive, some insight into self-recognition in autoimmune arthritis has come from a recently characterized mouse model.…”