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Extended report
Characterisation of T cell clonotypes that accumulated in multiple joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
  1. Manae Kurokawaa,c,
  2. Tomohiro Katoa,
  3. Kayo Masuko-Hongoa,
  4. Shin-ichiro Uedad,
  5. Tetsuji Kobatab,
  6. Mitsuo Okuboe,
  7. Tomoe Nishimakic,
  8. Tatsuya Akazaf,
  9. Shin-ich Yoshinog,
  10. Reiji Kasukawac,
  11. Kusuki Nishiokaa,
  12. Kazuhiko Yamamotod
  1. aRheumatology, Immunology and Genetic Program, Institute of Medical Science, St Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan, bDivision of Immunology, Institute for Medical Science, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Shimotsuga, Japan, cDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Fukushima Medical College, Fukushima, Japan, dDivision of Allergology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, eBlood Transfusion Service, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical School, Kawagoe, Japan, fJapanese Red Cross Central Blood Centre, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, gDepartment of Joint Disease and Rheumatism, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
  1. Dr M Kurokawa, Rheumatology, Immunology and Genetic Program, Institute of Medical Science, St Marianna University School of Medicine, 2–16–1, Sugao, Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki, 216–8512, Japan.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether identical T cell clonotypes accumulate in multiple rheumatoid joints, the clonality of T cells that had infiltrated into synovial tissue (ST) samples simultaneously obtained from multiple joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was analysed.

METHODS T cell receptor (TCR) β gene transcripts, amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction from ST and peripheral blood lymphocytes of five RA patients, were subjected to single strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing.

RESULTS Approximately 40% of accumulated T cell clonotypes found in one joint of a patient were found in multiple joints in the same patient. Furthermore, identical amino acid sequences were found in TCR β junctional regions of these clonotypes from different patients with at least one HLA molecule match.

CONCLUSIONS The T cell clonotypes accumulating in multiple rheumatoid joints may be involved in the perpetuation of polyarthritis by reacting to antigens common to these multiple joints.

  • T cell receptor
  • synovial tissue
  • single strand conformation polymorphism
  • DNA sequencing

https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.58.9.546

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