title: Rheumatoid arthritis and sterile corneal ulceration. Analysis of tissue immune effector cells and ocular epithelial antigens using monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: Tissue immune effector cells and epithelial surface antigens present in eye tissue of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with sterile corneal ulceration were studied using a large panel of monoclonal antibodies. During periods of active corneal ulceration, conjunctivae and corneas of all RA patients studied contained numerous immune-associated (Ia) antigen-positive tissue macrophages. In 4 of 6 patients, conjunctival or corneal T cell infiltrations were present. In 2 patients, a T cell vasculitis was seen in conjunctival tissue. Conjunctival epithelial cells of all 6 RA patients expressed Ia antigens during active corneal ulceration. These data provide evidence for immune-mediated mechanisms in the pathophysiology of corneal ulceration in RA. Moreover, the expression of Ia antigens by conjunctival epithelial cells may be a useful indicator of disease activity in RA patients with sterile corneal ulceration.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000145:classification; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II