T cell receptor V beta usage in rheumatoid nodules: marked oligoclonality among IL-2 expanded lymphocytes.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by chronic polyarthritis and joint destruction as well as by extra-articular manifestations, typically including the appearance of rheumatoid nodules. Although the pathogenesis of the disease is unknown, substantial evidence suggests that it is T cell-mediated. In contrast to experimental models, the disease-mediating T cells in the human situation have never been isolated or identified. We expanded T lymphocytes from human rheumatoid nodules by IL-2 stimulation and observed a marked oligoclonality among these expanded lymphocytes. This tendency towards oligoclonality was not seen in IL-2-expanded lymphocytes from peripheral blood. We hypothesize that this oligoclonal expansion reflects a clonally restricted in situ preactivation of lymphocytes and that precisely these preactivated cells are involved in the pathogenesis of the rheumatic process.
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
F
F
De Keyser
G
G
Verbruggen
E M
EM
Veys
C
C
Cuvelier
A M
AM
Malfait
D
D
Benoit
D
D
Elewaut
J
J
Vermeersch
A
A
Heirwegh
D000368:Aged; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D012218:Rheumatoid Nodule / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta