The development of monoclonal antibodies to the human mitochondrial 60-kd heat-shock protein, and their use in studying the expression of the protein in rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the claim that the human 60-kd heat-shock protein (HSP) is highly expressed in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but is not readily detected in normal tissues.


METHODS
Monoclonal antibodies were raised against the human 60-kd mitochondrial heat-shock protein (P1 protein; hsp60), and their specificity was established. They were then applied to synovial tissue.


RESULTS
HSP was expressed similarly in normal, osteoarthritic, and RA synovium. Low levels of hsp60 were detected in synovial fluid by immunoprecipitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Minor differences in the distribution of hsp60 in synovium from RA joints were attributable to increased cellularity and to the disorganization of the tissue architecture.
Department of Medical Microbiology, University College of Middlesex School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
M
M
Sharif
J G
JG
Worrall
B
B
Singh
R S
RS
Gupta
P M
PM
Lydyard
C
C
Lambert
J
J
McCulloch
G A
GA
Rook
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000737:chemistry*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011485:Protein Binding; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins