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Apoptosis and functional Fas antigen in rheumatoid arthritis synoviocytes
T Nakajima1, H Aono, T Hasunuma
1Division of Rheumatology and Molecular Imunology, St. Marianna University, Kawasaki, Japan.
Objective:
To determine whether apoptosis occurs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synoviocytes, and if this phenomenon is dependent on the Fas/Apo-1 pathway.
Methods:
Apoptotic change in vivo was examined in RA synovial cells by several standard methods. The ability of cells to undergo Fas-induced apoptosis was determined in vitro.
Results:
Typical apoptotic change was demonstrated in RA synovial cells by each method. Anti-Fas antibody induced apoptotic synovial cell death in vitro.
Conclusion:
This is the first reported study to demonstrate apoptosis in RA synovial cells. The findings indicate that rheumatoid synoviocytes undergo Fas-mediated apoptosis.
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