Type II collagen is a target antigen of clonally expanded T cells in the synovium of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Issue 7 (1st July 1999)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sekine, Taichi; Kato, Tomohiro; Masuko-Hongo, Kayo; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Yoshino, Shin-ichi; Nishioka, Kusuki; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko
• Is Part Of: Annals of the rheumatic diseases. Volume 58:Issue 7(1999)
• Page Start: 446
• Page End: 450
• Publication Date: 1999-07-01
• Subjects: T cell receptor -- T cell clone -- type II collagen -- reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction -- subsequent single strand conformation polymorphism; Rheumatism -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.58.7.446
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0003-4967

Abstract

Abstract : OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether type II collagen (CII) is recognised by oligoclonally expanded synovial T cells of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 15 RA patients were stimulated with CII in vitro. T cell clones expanded by such stimulation were compared with the clonally expanded synovial T cells by using T cell receptor (TCR) B chain gene specific reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and subsequent single strand conformation polymorphism analyses. RESULTS: Stimulation of the heterogeneous peripheral T cells with CII induced clonal expansion of T cells. In three of 15 patients, a proportion of these clones (approximately 17% to 25%) was found to be identical to expanded T cell clones in the synovium in vivo. CONCLUSION: T cell clones that had TCR CDR3 sequences identical to those induced by purified CII were found in a proportion of RA patients. This finding suggests that CII is recognised by T cells that accumulate clonally in RA joints. Oligoclonal T cell expansion in RA joints is probably driven, at least in part, by intra-articular components such as CII.