EVALUATION OF T-CELL SUBSETS WITH MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES IN SYNOVIAL-FLUID IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (6) , 821-826
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies that react with all T cells (OKT3), the inducer-helper T cell subset (OKT4), and the suppressor-cytotoxic T cell subset (OKT8), were used to evaluate T cell and T cell subpopulations in synovial fluid (SF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The immunoregulatory ratio of SF lymphocytes ranged from normal values to extremely low values, indicating normal to excess numbers of OKT8+ cells. The rheumatoid synovium in patients with RA is characterized by the presence of lymphoid aggregates in which HLA-DR+ interdigitating cells form close contacts with a large number of OKT4+ T cells, while the OKT8+ T cells are sparse. The localizing mechanisms for OKT8+ suppressor cells in lymphoid aggregates are possibly deficient in RA and the cells are permitted to pass into synovial exudates, resulting in an increase of OKT8+ cells in the SF.