Divergent T-Cell Cytokine Patterns in Inflammatory Arthritis

A major immunoregulatory mechanism in inflammatory infections and allergic diseases is the control of the balance of cytokines secreted by Th1/Th2 subsets of T helper (Th) cells. This might also be true in autoimmune diseases; a Th2 pattern that prevents an effective immune response in infections wi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1994-08, Vol.91 (18), p.8562-8566
Main Authors: Simon, A. K., Seipelt, E., Sieper, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arthritis
Arthritis, Reactive - immunology
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology
Autoimmune diseases
Biochemistry
Cytokines
Cytokines - metabolism
Gene Expression
Humans
Immunity (Disease)
In Situ Hybridization
Joint diseases
Messenger RNA
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Reactive arthritis
Rheumatism
Rheumatoid arthritis
RNA, Messenger - genetics
Synovial membrane
Synovial Membrane - immunology
T lymphocytes
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology
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Summary:A major immunoregulatory mechanism in inflammatory infections and allergic diseases is the control of the balance of cytokines secreted by Th1/Th2 subsets of T helper (Th) cells. This might also be true in autoimmune diseases; a Th2 pattern that prevents an effective immune response in infections with intracellular bacteria may favor immunosuppression in autoimmune diseases. The pattern of cytokine expression was compared in the synovial tissue from patients with a typical autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and with a disorder with similar synovial pathology but driven by persisting exogenous antigen, reactive arthritis. We screened 12 rheumatoid and 9 reactive arthritis synovial tissues by PCR and in situ hybridization for their expression of T-cell cytokines. The cytokine pattern differs significantly between the two diseases; rheumatoid arthritis samples express a Th1-like pattern whereas in reactive arthritis interferon γ expression is accompanied by that of interleukin 4. Studying the expression of cytokines by in situ hybridization confirmed the results found by PCR; they also show an extremely low frequency of cytokine-transcribing cells. In a double-staining experiment, it was demonstrated that interleukin 4 is made by CD4 cells. These experiments favor the possibility of therapeutic intervention in inflammatory rheumatic diseases by means of inhibitory cytokines.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.91.18.8562