title: Spontaneous and induced immunoglobulin secretion by synovial fluid B lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The functional properties of B lymphocytes in synovial fluid (SF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were analysed by means of a reverse haemolytic plaque forming cell (PFC) assay. SF mononuclear cells spontaneously secreted IgG, but little IgM or IgA. The SF cells failed to respond to the polyclonal B cell activators pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and Epstein-Barr virus. However, SF B cells cocultured with autologous T lymphocytes from the blood and stimulated with PWM secreted IgG but little IgM or IgA. The PFC responses of blood B cells cocultured with autologous SF T cells in the presence of PWM were low; irradiation of the T cells increased the blood B lymphocyte responses, but the differences were not statistically significant. It is concluded that suppressor SF T cells may be partly responsible for the poor response of SF B cells to PWM.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens