Augmented Numbers of HLA‐DR‐Positive T Lymphocytes in the Synovial Fluid and Synovial Tissue of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Abstract
Twenty to 40 % of T cells from synovial fluid and synovial tissue and 3–11 % of the peripheral blood T lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) expressed HLA‐DR antigens as detected by monoclonal anti‐HLA‐DR antibodies in direct immunofluorescence. Synovial fluid and synovial tissue T lymphocytes had a stimulating capacity comparable to that of non‐T cells in the allogeneic primary mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). The MLR was inhibited by monoclonal anti‐HLA‐DR antibodies. This is, to our knowledge, the first report on in‐vivo‐activated T lymphocytes as stimulator cells in MLR. The results suggest that T cells from synovial fluid and synovial tissue are locally activated by stimuli so far unidentified.