COMPLEMENT ACTIVATING PROPERTIES OF COMPLEXES CONTAINING RHEUMATOID-FACTOR IN SYNOVIAL-FLUIDS AND SERA FROM PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (2) , 285-292
Abstract
The relationship between complexes containing rheumatoid factor and complexes activating complement was examined in synovial fluids and sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In each case this was performed by quantifying the amount of rheumatoid factor bound by solid phase Fab''2 anti-C3 and/or solid phase conglutinin. Both anti-C3 coated and conglutinin coated microtiter plates bound high levels of complexes containing rheumatoid factor from sera of RA patients with vasculitis. Unexpectedly, these complexes were detected in synovial fluids from only a minority of RA patients with synovitis. However, RA synovial fluids did contain other complexes as shown by the presence of complement consuming activity, C1q binding material and Ig attaching to conglutinin. Thus, in RA synovial fluids the complexes containing RF and those activating complement are not necessarily the same, while in vasculitic sera the complexes containing rheumatoid factor also activate complement.