T-CELL RECEPTOR REARRANGEMENTS IN JUVENILE RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A SEARCH FOR OLIGOCLONALITY

Southern blot analysis of DNA from paired samples of synovial compartm ent (membrane and/or fluid) and peripheral blood T cells from nine chi ldren with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) was carried out. Using a T cell receptor Cbeta probe, dominant TCR rearrangements were discov ered in specimens from three patients: synovial fluid T cells from one , synovial fluid and synovial membrane cells from a second, and synovi al membrane and peripheral blood cells from a third. The patient showi ng dominant bands in peripheral blood as well as in synovium was the o nly child in the series with systemic disease. Since non-specific T ce ll recruitment is likely to dilute antigen specific clones to low leve ls, the finding of dominant rearrangements in three of nine patients m ay indicate that oligoclonality is indeed a feature of JRA.