Poor expression of T cell-derived cytokines and activation and proliferation markers in early rheumatoid synovial tissue.
We compared the state of activation and proliferation of T cells in synovial tissue (ST) from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in early and late stages of the disease to find out whether T-cell-driven immune responses vary during the course of the disease. ST was obtained from 12 patients with early RA (< 1 year) and 12 patients with longstanding RA (> 5 years). T cells and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-positive cells were detected in ST using immunohistologic methods. To determine the percentage of T cells expressing the interleukin-2 receptor, IFN-gamma, or the proliferation associated antigen Ki-67, immunofluorescence double-staining techniques were used. The scores for the number of T cells and for the expression of IFN-gamma as well as the percentages of T cells expressing CD25, IFN-gamma, or Ki-67 in rheumatoid synovium were not dependent on disease duration. These results do not support the assumption that the responsiveness of T cells in ST of RA patients differs between early and late stages of the disease. The data indicate that at present no arguments exist that the effect of T-cell-directed interventions on synovial inflammation might vary in different stages of the disease.
Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
T J
TJ
Smeets
Dolhain RJEM
A M
AM
Miltenburg
R
R
de Kuiper
F C
FC
Breedveld
P P
PP
Tak
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
D016207:Cytokines; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D007371:Interferon-gamma