[Mononuclear phagocytic cells in human rheumatoid synovial membrane. Histochemical and immunohistological study]

Non specific immunity in human rheumatoid synovium: histochemical and immunohistological analysis. Enzymatic activities and monocyte-specific membrane antigens were looked for on frozen sections from 25 synovial membrane samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Classical histochemical reactions were used to identify non specific esterases, alkaline and acid phosphatases, ATPase and peroxidase. Indirect immunofluorescence was performed with a series of monoclonal antibodies to monocyte membrane antigens and HLA class II molecules. Technical pitfalls were successfully overcome, and specific labelings demonstrated the variety and heterogeneity of these markers among synovial cells and vascular endothelia. Reported data indicated that such a panel of investigations is useful to better define the non-specific immunological phenomenons which take place in this active pathological tissue. They suggest that numerous metabolic activities concur to sustain chronic inflammation.