ANALYSIS OF IMMUNE-COMPLEXES IN SYNOVIAL EFFUSIONS OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (2) , 297-306
Abstract
Immune complexes were isolated from synovial effusions of patients with seropositive definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis by centrifugation over a sucrose-polyethylene glycol gradient. Physicochemical and immunochemical analysis showed Ig[immunoglobulin]G and IgM to be the predominant molecular species with lesser amounts of C1q [q fragment of complement component 1] and moderate amounts of IgA and activated C[complement]4 and C3. Very low concentrations of C.hivin.1r [activated C1r], C.hivin.1s, factor B and .beta.2-microglobulin were detected. Trace amounts of 4 other components totalling less than 4% of the total protein were seen and their MW established. Reasons were advanced for fibrinogen, human serum albumin and .alpha.2-macroglobulin being secondarily associated with the complexes. IgG apparently is the main, if not the only antigen, responsible for provoking and maintaining pathological changes in rheumatoid arthritis.