Expression of Fas antigen and Fas ligand in the rheumatoid synovial tissue.
To understand the role of apoptosis through Fas/Fas ligand (Fas-L) interaction in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we examined the expression of Fas antigen, Fas-L, and apoptosis in synovial tissue obtained from eight patients with RA and five patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the significant expression of Fas antigen and Fas-L in RA synovial tissue compared with that in OA synovial tissue. Immunohistochemical staining and the DNA nick end labeling (TUNEL) method were combined and revealed that approximately 10 to 30% of Fas antigen-expressing cells in the RA synovium showed DNA fragmentation characteristic for apoptosis. In double-staining analysis, Fas-L was expressed on up to 10% of CD45RO-, CD4-, CD8-, or CD56-positive mononuclear cells in RA synovial tissue. Our results suggest that activated T cells and natural killer cells infiltrating into the RA synovium may contribute to the induction of apoptosis of RA synovial and mononuclear cells through Fas/Fas-L interaction.
Asahara
H
H
Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
Hasumuna
T
T
Kobata
T
T
Yagita
H
H
Okumura
K
K
Inoue
H
H
Gay
S
S
Sumida
T
T
Nishioka
K
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D017931:DNA Primers; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor