T lymphocytes in the synovial fluid of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis display CD134-OX40 surface antigen.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the percentage of T lymphocytes, bearing CD134, a member of the TNF receptor superfamily, primarily found on autoreactive CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.


METHODS
The surface expression of CD134 on SF and PB mononuclear cells was performed by flow cytometry in 25 RA patients and correlated to the disease activity.


RESULTS
CD134 expression on CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD25+ cells was higher in SF than in PB of RA patients (P < 0.001). No differences were observed in the percentage of CD134+/CD4+ T lymphocytes in the PB of RA patients and controls. Patients with active RA had significantly higher percentage of CD3+/CD134+, CD4+/CD 134+, CD8+/CD134+ and CD25+/CD 134+ than those with inactive disease.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that CD134+ T cells are involved in the immunopathological process of RA synovitis, maybe mirroring some other autoimmune disease in which autoreactive T cell infiltrating the target tissues largely coexpress CD134.
Giacomelli
R
R
Clinica Medica, Department of Internal Medicine, University of L'Aquila, via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy. giacomel@cc.univaq.it
Passacantando
A
A
Perricone
R
R
Parzanese
I
I
Rascente
M
M
Minisola
G
G
Tonietti
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D053262:Receptors, OX40; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000032:analysis*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D053262:Receptors, OX40; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505716:TNFRSF4 protein, human; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7