title: The immunoregulation of rheumatoid factor by the CD8 T lymphocyte subset in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Flow cytometric analysis on 81 peripheral blood samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed that levels of serum IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) were associated with the CD8+ cell level. A significant elevation of natural killer (CD56) cell levels was also observed in RA peripheral blood. Using in vitro antibody production techniques, CD8+ cells from patients with RA appeared to act as suppressors of RF production. Paired blood and synovial fluid samples from 9 patients with RA indicated a significant increase in SF CD8+ cells and DR+ T cells over the corresponding peripheral blood levels. The data suggest that CD8+ cells in RA may respond to immunological abnormalities occurring during the course of the disease.
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor