title: Evidence for B cell activation in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Peripheral blood lymphocytes and in some cases synovial eluate cells from 51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), were analysed for the percentages of cells bearing surface light chains (total B cells), IgM and IgD. In addition, their capacity to form rosettes with mouse erythrocytes (mRFC)--a property of a B cell subpopulation--was determined. Activity of the disease was assessed by clinical and laboratory criteria and classified as very active, moderately active and inactive. Normal, age and sex matched individuals and a group of patients with a variety of other rheumatological disorders, were used as control populations. Although there was no significant difference in percentages of total B cells in any of the groups compared with normal controls, there was a small but significant increase in the ratio of cells bearing IgM to those bearing IgD in patients with very active disease. This was paralleled by a significant decrease in the mRFC in this disease activity group. Patients with inactive disease showed no change in their proportions of IgM:IgD, but did show a significant increase in mRFC. These results are discussed in terms of the presence of activated B cells in patients with very active RA.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D002097:C-Reactive Protein