The rheumatoid synovial membrane participates in systemic anti-viral immune responses

Sixteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis were systemically immunized with influenza virus vaccine and in vitro anti-influenza antibody responses by blood lymphocytes and lymphocytes isolated from synovectomy specimens were measured after in vitro challenge with this influenza antigen. Synovial lymphocytes from eight of these patients produced anti-viral antibody, thereby indicating that infiltrating lymphocytes participate in a systemic anti-viral immune response.