T-cell responses to viral, bacterial and protozoan antigens in rheumatoid inflammation. Selective migration of T cells to synovial tissue

Objective. To identify any preferential or selective migration of T-cell sp ecificities to inflamed tissues of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods. Lymphocytes from peripheral blood (PB) and synovial tissue (ST) we re isolated from RA patients and stimulated with a panel of crude antigen p reparations from 18 bacterial, protozoan and viral sources. Proliferative r esponses of the T lymphocytes to each antigen and group of antigens were co mpared in PB and ST. Antigen-specific T-cell clones were developed and thei r migratory capacities towards synovial chemokines were compared. Results. ST-derived T cells showed a small but significantly higher stimula tion index (SI) to the group of intestinal bacteria compared with PB T cell s. Conversely, responses of ST-derived T cells to Acanthamoeba polyphaga (A P) were both profoundly and significantly lower compared with PB-derived T cells. The viral antigens as a whole gave comparable reactivities in blood and ST. The migratory capacity of AP-specific T-cell clones towards chemoki nes produced by ST was profoundly poorer compared with Campylobacter jejuni - and herpes simplex virus-specific T-cell clones. Conclusions. The results indicate a selective migration of T cells of given specificities to the inflamed rheumatoid synovium.