Characterisation of T cell clonotypes that accumulated in multiple joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Issue 9 (1st September 1999)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kurokawa, Manae; Kato, Tomohiro; Masuko-Hongo, Kayo; Ueda, Shin-ichiro; Kobata, Tetsuji; Okubo, Mitsuo; Nishimaki, Tomoe; Akaza, Tatsuya; Yoshino, Shin-ich; Kasukawa, Reiji; Nishioka, Kusuki; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko
• Is Part Of: Annals of the rheumatic diseases. Volume 58:Issue 9(1999)
• Page Start: 546
• Page End: 553
• Publication Date: 1999-09-01
• Subjects: T cell receptor -- synovial tissue -- single strand conformation polymorphism -- DNA sequencing; Rheumatism -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.58.9.546
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-4967

Abstract

Abstract : OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether identical T cell clonotypes accumulate in multiple rheumatoid joints, the clonality of T cells that had infiltrated into synovial tissue (ST) samples simultaneously obtained from multiple joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was analysed. METHODS: T cell receptor (TCR) β gene transcripts, amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from ST and peripheral blood lymphocytes of five RA patients, were subjected to single strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Approximately 40% of accumulated T cell clonotypes found in one joint of a patient were found in multiple joints in the same patient. Furthermore, identical amino acid sequences were found in TCR β junctional regions of these clonotypes from different patients with at least one HLA molecule match. CONCLUSIONS: The T cell clonotypes accumulating in multiple rheumatoid joints may be involved in the perpetuation of polyarthritis by reacting to antigens common to these multiple joints.