Studies on the infectious etiology of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

This study was initiated in an attempt to confirm recent reports that mycoplasmas can be regularly isolated from human rheumatoid tissue, and that joint lesions can be induced in mice and chicks by injection of human rheumatoid synovium. All synovial tissues were free of mycoplasmas including T-strains. Density gradient centrifugations failed to produce additional isolates. Diphtheroids were isolated from two nonrheumatoid synovial suspensions. Joint lesions developed in 12.7% of newborn mice given rheumatoid tissue and 13.2% of mice given control material. Chick embryos injected with synovial suspensions developed a 6.7% incidence of lesions with no significant difference apparent between embryos injected with rheumatoid or nonrheumatoid synovia.In 1939, Sabin described a chronic arthritis in mice caused by a mycoplasma and suggested that human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) might have a mycoplasmal etiology (1). Since arthritis is a common manifestation of mycoplasmal diseases of animals, many studies have been undertaken to explore this possibility. However, attempts to isolate mycoplasmas from human rheumatoid materials have resulted in inconclusive findings. Using a variety of isolation procedures, Sharp (2) and Ford (3) were unable to demonstrate evidence of mycoplasma infection. O n the other hand, Bartholomew (4, 5),

Aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis: an attempt to transmit an infective agent from patients with rheumatoid arthritis to baboons.

“…Samples of blood were obtained 3 months before inoculation, immediately before inoculation and at 6,9,12,17, and 23 months after inoculation. All sera were examined by a sensitised sheep cell agglutination test (SCAT) and with the RA latex reagent (Searle Diagnostic) for antiglobulin activity analogous to human rheumatoid factor (RF).…”

Cytotoxic activity of rheumatoid and normal lymphocytes against allogeneic and autologous synovial cells in vitro.

“…The morphologic appearance and the growth characteristics of our synovial cell cultures were similar to those described by Bartfeld (16) and Castor and Fries (17). Samples of synovial tissue specimens were monitored for bacterial contamination by inoculation into trypticase soy broth and for mycoplasmal contamination as previously described (18). These tests were repeated on all cell lines in which a high cell-mediated cytotoxicity response was obtained in the "Cr-release assay and were routinely performed at 6-mo intervals on all synovial cell lines.…”

A Reevaluation of the Role of Mycoplasmas in Human Disease

“…For the most part these studies have been restricted to efforts to culture the organisms from synovial tissues and fl uids, blood, and other sources (7,38,97), and also to establish an association between the disease and the presence of immunity against mycoplasma species (8,35). For the most part these studies have been restricted to efforts to culture the organisms from synovial tissues and fl uids, blood, and other sources (7,38,97), and also to establish an association between the disease and the presence of immunity against mycoplasma species (8,35).…”