Removal of hyaline articular cartilage reduces lymphocyte infiltration and activation in rheumatoid synovial membrane.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the effect of removal of hyaline articular cartilage on synovial membrane pathology in chronic arthritis.


METHODS
Synovial membrane samples were obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis in association with total hip arthroplasty, either primary or revision surgery. Synovial membrane histopathology was assessed by immunochemical staining and morphometry.


RESULTS
CD68 positive macrophages were common in revision synovial membranes. In contrast, T lymphocytes were much more common in primary rheumatoid synovial membranes (p < 0.001). Many T lymphocytes in primary synovial membrane were HLA-D/DR positive (p < 0.001) and interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R) positive (p < 0.001) and contained interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma; p < 0.001) and tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-beta; p < 0.001). In contrast, revision synovial membranes from patients with chronic arthritis contained only a few HLA-D/DR positive T cells and practically no IL-2R, IFN-gamma, or TNF-beta positive activated T lymphocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
The components of hyaline articular cartilage may be the source of autoantigen responsible for perpetuation of chronic arthritides.
Konttinen
Y T
YT
Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki , Finland. yrjo.konttinen@helsinki.fi
Li
T F
TF
Lassus
J
J
Waris
V
V
Santavirta
S
S
Virtanen
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006818:Hyalin / Q000276:immunology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule