[Destruction and inflammation of the joints in rheumatoid arthritis: a pathogenic hypothesis (author's transl)]

On the basis of recent in vitro studies, the authors hypothetize on the mechanism of joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis. They suggest that the leading part is played by the cells of the synovial membrane, which have been found in cultures to secrete biochemical substances, such as collagenase or PGE2, involved in the destruction of articular surfaces. The secretion of these substances is considerably increased by soluble factors produced by monocytes under the influence of lymphocytes, and lymphocytes are known to participate in the chronic inflammatory reaction characteristic of the disease. Such a pathogenic sequence might lead to new therapeutic approaches.