Immunological characteristics of lymphocytes in synovial fluid and peripheral blood in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The investigation has been carried out on 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rosettes (E, EA, EAC) technique and immunofluorescence test were used to detect the surface markers of lymphocytes. Cytotoxic activity of T and K cells in vitro was established. It has been proved that cells occurred to a larger extend in synovial fluid than in the peripheral blood. B cells and lymphocytes with Fc receptors were only a few in synovial fluid. The percentage ofFc receptors bearing cells was higher in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis than that in peripheral blood of the control group. Cytotoxic activity of K-cell was low in synovial fluid. PHA-cell mediated cytotoxicity was low in peripheral blood as well as in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.