INCREASED PERCENTAGE OF CD3-ARTHRITIS - CORRELATION WITH DURATION OF DISEASE(, CD57+ LYMPHOCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID)

Objective. To determine whether a small CD3+ lymphocyte population exp ressing 110-kd CD57 antigens (HNK1) is expanded in patients with rheum atoid arthritis (RA), as it is in patients who have undergone bone mar row transplantation and patients with the acquired immunodeficiency sy ndrome, and to investigate whether it is involved in the pathogenesis of RA. Methods. The phenotype of CD3+, CD57+ lymphocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry, and correlations between the percentage of these ce lls in the blood and various clinical and biologic parameters were inv estigated. Results. The percentage of CD3+, CD57+ lymphocytes was incr eased in RA patients compared with controls. These lymphocytes express ed T cell receptor alpha/beta. Eighty percent expressed the CD8 access ory molecule, and 20% expressed the CD4 accessory molecule. The leukoc yte common antigen CD45RA isoform was expressed by these CD3+, CD57+ l ymphocytes in blood. The HLA-DR antigen was expressed in synovial flui d but not in blood. Finally, the percentage of these lymphocytes in th e blood correlated with the duration of RA. Conclusion. The expansion of the CD3+, CD57+ lymphocyte population and their activation in the s ynovial fluid of RA patients suggest that these cells are involved in the inflammatory process.