[Cell and cytokine markers in the synovial membrane in rheumatoid arthritis]

The paper considers the morphological signs of rheumatoid synovitis, their association with clinical manifestations and therapy. Synovial changes in rheumatoid arthritis indicate that there is variability and subclasses of this disease. There is evidence that it is necessary to quantify morphological changes, by using digital imaging techniques, and to study the classes and subclasses of cellular elements of inflammation. Inflammatory infiltration of the synovial membrane contains T and B lymphocytes and their subclasses. The expression of cell markers and proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is characterized. The points of therapy with genetically engineered biological agents are shown. Further morphological investigation of the synovial membrane should aim to detect the diagnostic and prognostic signs of synovitis and to identify risk-group patients with the persistent and destructive types of the disease. The findings may be of importance in studying the pathogenesis, identifying the subclasses of rheumatoid arthritis, and searching for new effective applications of the biological agents.