R. Morris et al., THROMBIN RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN RHEUMATOID AND OSTEOARTHRITIC SYNOVIAL TISSUE, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 55(11), 1996, pp. 841-843
Objective-To investigate the possibility that synovial cells might res
pond to thrombin in the inflamed human joint, using immunohistochemica
l detection of thrombin receptors. Methods-Frozen sections of synovial
membrane from 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 16 with osteoart
hritis, and four normal controls were stained using a monoclonal antib
ody to the human thrombin receptor. Sections were also double stained
for both receptors and non-specific esterase. Results-Receptor positiv
e cells were present in rheumatoid synovia, with some cells also stain
ing positively for nonspecific esterase. In contrast, both osteoarthri
tic and normal synovia contained very few cells expressing receptors.
Conclusions-Thrombin may mediate important pathological changes during
chronic inflammatory joint disease.