Very late activation antigens on rheumatoid synovial fluid T lymphocytes. Association with stages of T cell activation.
Lymphocytes from the synovial fluid of eight out of eight rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients had elevated very late activation antigen-1 (VLA-1) expression (10-36% positive cells), whereas peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from RA patients and healthy controls had low VLA-1 expression (0-6% positive cells). During 1-2 wk of in vitro culture, VLA-1 increased on synovial fluid cells but remained low on PBL. In comparison, the interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2 R) was less prominent than VLA-1 on fresh synovial fluid cells, did not increase on cultured synovial fluid T cells, but did increase greatly on cultured PBL. The mitogen PHA reversed or prevented the appearance of VLA-1+, IL-2 R- synovial fluid cells during in vitro culture, thus giving IL-2 R+, VLA-1- cells. These results emphasize that VLA-1+ SF cells are different from resting cells or IL-2 R+ activated PBL T cells, and VLA-1 on synovial fluid T cells may be incompatible with mitogen stimulation. In addition, the VLA-2 heterodimer (165,000/130,000 relative molecular mass [Mr]) was regulated opposite to the VLA-1 heterodimer (130,000/210,000 Mr) on synovial lymphocytes, and thus the VLA-1/VLA-2 ratio is another indicator of the stage of T cell activation.
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7