Proliferative synovitis in rabbit knee joints induced by antigen and preformed immune complexes

Knee joints of non-immunized rabbits were repeatedly injected with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and preformed BSA-anti-BSA immune complexes which had differing precipitation profiles and abilities to activate complement. Ten days after the last of six injections the antibody and lymphoproliferative responses to BSA were analysed and correlated to the degree of arthritis. Joint swelling, increased numbers of joint fluid leukocytes and morphological changes typical of proliferative synovitis were found only in those rabbits injected with a large dose of antigen or with immune complexes prepared in antigen excess of poor precipitation and complement-activating properties in vitro. The degree of arthritis correlated with the development of humoral and lymphoproliferative immune responses to BSA.