Detection of T‐Lymphocyte Subpopulations in the Peripheral Blood and the Synovium of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Using Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies with specificities for various human T‐cell antigens were used in direct immunofluorescence to quantify the proportions of T lymphocytes with suppressor/ cytotoxic‐cell markers and with helper/inducer‐cell markers and of T lymphocytes with HLA‐DR antigens. Normal percentages of lymphocytes with suppressor/cytotoxic‐cell markers were detected in the peripheral blood synovial fluid and synovial tissue lymphocytes from patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), respectively. Normal percentages of T lymphocytes with helper/inducer‐cell markers were seen in the peripheral blood of RA and JRA patients and in the synovial tissues of RA patients. Slightly decreased percentages of cells with the helper/inducer‐cell marker were detected in the synovial fluids of JRA patients. The proportions of HLA‐DR‐positive T lymphocytes were highly increased in the synovial fluid and synovial tissue, whereas the numbers of these cells in the peripheral blood were normal. No significant differences in Tγ cells were detected between peripheral blood, synovial fluid and synovial tissue of JRA patients or between peripheral blood and synovial tissue of RA patients.