title: Predominance of T cells in the lymphocytic infiltrates of synovial tissues in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Synovial tissues from 5 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined immunofluorescence microscopy for the presence of lymphocytes with either bone marrow-derived (B) or thymus-derived (T) surface markers. Five synovial tissues with severe to mild lymphocytic infiltrations by bright field microscopy were examined in parallel with immunofluorescence. B cells were identified with a pepsin-digested fluoresceinated anti-F (ab')2 antiserum and T cells were detected with a specific rabbit and anti-T lymphocyte antiserum. By these techniques 75-90% of the lymphocytes in these frozen sections were identified as T cells. Cell suspensions were also prepared by collagenase digestion of two of the five synovial tissues. The lymphocytes in these cell suspensions were predominantly T lymphocytes (78-85%) as shown by their ability to form spontaneous rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (E rosettes).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Alburquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bankhurst
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Husby
authors.forename: Ralph C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000266:history* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D013585:Synovitis / Q000266:history* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology