E. Takeuchi et al., Establishment and characterization of nurse cell-like stromal cell lines from synovial tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ARTH RHEUM, 42(2), 1999, pp. 221-228
Objective. To investigate the features of synovial stromal cells establishe
d from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to define these cells a
s nurse cells.
Methods. Synovial nurse-like stromal cell lines (RA-SNCs) were established
from patients with RA. These cell lines were examined for morphology, pseud
oemperipolesis activity, cell surface markers, and cytokine production. The
interaction between these RA-SNCs and a synovial tissue B cell clone was a
lso examined.
Results. RA-SNCs had nurse cell activity. They spontaneously produced inter
leukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and granulocy
te-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Furthermore, they produced IL-1 be
ta and tumor necrosis factor alpha and expressed higher levels of the other
cytokines after coculture with the B cell clone. Proliferation and Ig prod
uction by the B cell clone were dependent on direct contact with RA-SNCs.
Conclusion. These results indicate that the RA-SNCs were nurse cells, The f
indings suggest that RA-SNCs may play an important role in the pathogenesis
of RA by producing large amounts of cytokines and maintaining infiltrating
lymphocytes.