Increased frequency of V beta 17-positive T cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the T lymphocytes that mediate disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
A panel of monoclonal antibodies reactive with T cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene products was used to analyze the RA T cell repertoire.


RESULTS
Of 5 TCR V beta gene products studied, only V beta 17-positive T cells were increased in peripheral blood and synovial fluid (SF) from RA patients, compared with controls (P < 0.01 and P = 0.0006, respectively). Thirty-one percent of the 49 RA SF samples and none of the 19 non-RA SF samples contained > 10% V beta 17-positive T cells. Activated (Tac-positive) T cells were enriched among V beta 17-positive synovial T cells.


CONCLUSIONS
The selective increase of V beta 17-positive T cells suggests a role for those T cells in the pathogenesis of RA.
Zagon
G
G
Hospital for Special Surgery/Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021.
Tumang
J R
JR
Li
Y
Y
Friedman
S M
SM
Crow
M K
MK
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2