Immune imbalance in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients: effects of intra-articular injection of thymopentin
Afeltra, A.; Galeazzi, M.; Basso, P.; Pietrucci, A.; De Pità, O.; Ferri, G.M.; Porzio, F.; Bonomo, L.
Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents 5(2): 71-75
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0393-974X PMID: 1832810 Document Number: 385406
T cell subsets in the synovial fluid (SF) and peripheral blood (PB) of RA patients and controls suffering from different forms of chronic synovitis have been investigated. The immunological evaluation showed a reduction of CD4 subsets in RA-SF compared to RA-PB (p less than 0.001), and an almost complete absence of the suppressor-inducer/naive T cells in RA-SF compared to RA-PB and SF from patients with other forms of chronic synovitis. The CD8 subpopulation showed an increased proportion of cytotoxic cells only in RA-SF. On the basis of these results, an intra-articular immunomodulating treatment with thymopentin has been performed: its effects were characterized by an increase of CD8+CD11b+ T cells in the CD8 subset parallel to the enhancement of the suppressor-inducer/naive T cells in the CD4 subset with a statistically significant correlation. The enhanced levels of soluble CD8 decreased after treatment in RA-SF, whereas the soluble IL-2R levels were not significantly modified. Clinical evaluation showed a significative amelioration in all considered parameters.