Administration of Antibodies to Hyaluronanreceptor (CD44) Delays the Start and Ameliorates the Severity of Collagen II Arthritis

Hyaluronanreceptor (CD44) has been shown to be involved in lymphocyte homing during normal leucocyte circulation and during leucocyte extravasation into sites of tissue inflammation. In addition, interaction with CD44 molecule induces T‐cell activation and production of cytokines, such as interferon‐γ. In this study we have examined what influence interaction with the CD44 receptor would have on collagen II‐induced arthritis in mice. Mice were immunized with rat collagen II and administered with injections of a monoclonal anti‐CD44 antibody. Seventeen days after the outbreak of the disease, all of the anti‐CD44 treated animals remained clinically healthy, whereas 37% of the controls displayed arthritis (P