Peripheral blood and synovial fluid T cells differ in their response to alloantigens and recall antigens presented by dendritic cells

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Properties of T cells from inflammatory lesions were analysed by comparing the response of peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF)T cells from 19 patients with a range of arthropathies to enriched allogeneic dendritic cells (DC) in a primary mixed leucocyte reaction (MLR). In 17 patients the proliferative response of SF T cells was significantly (P < 0.05) less than that of PB lymphocytes. The reduced response of SF T cells was observed in all disease categories studied and could not be attributed to differences in cell number requirements or response kinetics. Addition of recombinant interlcukin-2 enhanced the response of SF T cells in a dose-dependent manner. Cell mixing experiments suggested that active suppression was not the underlying mechanism of the poor MLR response of SF T cells. In contrast to the MLR response, SF T cells were able to mount vigorous proliferative responses to recall antigen presented by autologous antigen-presenting cells. The possibility is discussed that T cells compartmentalized at inflammatory lesions are a unique population with a diminished ability to interact with DC and respond to primary stimuli but an ability to respond to secondary antigenic challenge.