PROLIFERATIVE RESPONSE OF SYNOVIAL-FLUID MONONUCLEAR-CELLS OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS TO MYCOBACTERIAL 65-KDA HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINAND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH HLA-DR PLUS CENTER-DOT-GAMMA-DELTA PLUS T-CELLS

Objective. The proliferative response of mononuclear cells (MNC) in sy novial fluid (SF) and peripheral blood (PB) of patients with rheumatoi d arthritis (RA) to mycobacterial 65 kDa heat shock protein (HSP65) wa s tested and the response compared with the percentage of HLA-DR+ .gam ma delta+ T cells in lymphocytes of SFMNC or PBMNC. Methods. Prolifera tive response of MNC was measured by means of H-3-thymidine incorporat ion and expressed by means of the stimulation index. Percentage of HLA -DR+ .gamma delta+ T cells in lymphocytes was measured by means of the ?-color flow cytometry method. Results, Higher response of SFMNC than PBMNC to HSP65 was noted in 14 of 19 patients with RA. Stimulation in dexes of RA-SFMNC correlated significantly with HLA-DR+ .gamma deltaT cell per centage in lymphocytes. Conclusion, In the SF of patients w ith RA, an accumulation of HSP65 reactive and HLA-DR+ .gamma delta+ T noted.