title: In vivo studies on the mononuclear phagocyte system Fc receptor function in rheumatoid arthritis. Correlations with clinical and immunological variables.
abstract: The mononuclear phagocyte system Fc receptor function was assessed in 13 control subjects and 17 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by intravenous injection of IgG coated (IgG-RBC) or of heat-damaged (HD-RBC) 99mTc-labeled autologous erythrocytes. Although the clearance half-times of control and RA erythrocytes were not significantly different, the spleen to liver uptake ratios per surface area (S/Ls), determined by quantitative scintigraphic analysis, were significantly lower in RA patients than in controls. The S/Ls were significantly correlated with the Steinbrocker stages (r = 0.92; p less than 0.01), the disease duration (r = 0.73; p less than 0.01) and the total immunoglobulin levels (r = 0.73; p less than 0.01). The Clq binding activity of the sera was inversely correlated with the spleen (r = 0.90; p less than 0.01) and liver uptakes (r = 0.73; p less than 0.02). Our results therefore show an alteration of the Fc receptor function of splenic and hepatic mononuclear phagocytes in RA patients.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000378:metabolism*; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A