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The leukocyte adherence inhibition assay in rheumatoid arthritis
Abstract:
Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and from control subjects were exposed to rheumatoid and osteoarthritic synovial membrane extracts. The number of nonadherent PBL in the presence of each extract was monitored in a test tube leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay. Six of 7 rheumatoid synovial extracts produced significantly greater nonadherence values when RA leukocytes were used as the test cell (36 +/- 5) compared with values obtained when control leukocytes were used (-5 +/- 3). Preincubation of LAI reactive leukocytes from RA patients with the RA synovial extracts abrogated the positive response, whereas preincubation with the OA extract had no effect. These studies indicate that leukocytes from RA subjects respond to a greater degree to extracts derived from rheumatoid synovium than to extracts derived from osteoarthritic synovium and add further support to the concept that unique substances (putative neoantigens?) are present in RA synovium.
Insights
Peripheral blood leukocytes from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients showed increased nonadherence to rheumatoid synovial extracts, suggesting unique substances in RA synovium. This response was specific to RA leukocytes and RA synovial extracts.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting joints.
- Synovial membrane changes are characteristic of RA pathogenesis.
- Identifying specific antigenic substances in RA synovium is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reactivity of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from RA patients against synovial membrane extracts.
- To determine if RA synovial extracts contain specific antigens recognized by RA patient leukocytes.
- To compare the response of RA leukocytes to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) versus osteoarthritis (OA) synovial extracts.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from RA patients and healthy controls were isolated.
- PBL were incubated with extracts from rheumatoid and osteoarthritic synovial membranes.
- Leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay was used to quantify nonadherent PBL.
Main Results:
- Six of seven rheumatoid synovial extracts induced significantly higher nonadherence in RA leukocytes compared to control leukocytes.
- Preincubation with RA synovial extracts abrogated the positive LAI response in RA leukocytes.
- Osteoarthritic synovial extracts did not elicit a similar specific response in RA leukocytes.
Conclusions:
- Leukocytes from RA patients exhibit a specific response to rheumatoid synovial extracts.
- These findings support the presence of unique antigenic substances within the RA synovium.
- The leukocyte adherence inhibition assay can detect specific immune responses in rheumatoid arthritis.