Characterization of a human synovial cell antigen: VCAM-1 and inflammatoryarthritis

The contribution of synovial cells to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthri tis (RA) is only partly understood. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 1D5 is one of very few mAb ever raised against RA synovial cells in order to study the b iology of these cells. Studies on the expression pattern and structural fea tures of the 1D5 Ag suggest that 1D5 recognizes human vascular cell adhesio n molecule-1 (VCAM-1), which is an intercellular adhesion molecule. Vascula r cell adhesion molecule-1 may be involved in a number of crucial intercell ular interactions in RA.