Heterogeneity of T cell receptor idiotypes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Journal article

The nature of the T cell response in the rheumatoid synovium was investigated by using monoclonals MX9 and 42/1C1, which recognize the V beta 8 and V beta 5 T cell receptor gene families respectively. The blood and synovial T cells of ten patients with rheumatoid arthritis were compared. The majority (8/10) had different numbers of V beta 5 and V beta 8 cells in the joints from those in the blood, indicating that the T cells in the joints were not a sample of those in the blood. In three patients both V beta 5 and V beta 8 cells in the joint were augmented in number, suggesting that the T cells selectively retained in the joint were not members of a single clone, but derived from many clones. Some patients had increased levels of V beta 5 or V beta 8 alone in the joint indicating that heterogeneity existed between patients. These results are not consistent with the preferential or dominant use of a single V beta gene family in the T cells involved in the rheumatoid arthritic joints.

Authors: Brennan, F; Allard, S; Londei, M; Savill, C; Boylston, A

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Clinical and experimental immunology
• Volume: 73
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 417-423
• Publication date: 1988-09-01
• EISSN: 1365-2249
• ISSN: 0009-9104
• Language: English
• Keywords: T-Lymphocytes; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; Genes, Immunoglobulin; Synovial Membrane; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Immunoglobulin Variable Region; Humans