Variation of T-cell subsets in spleen and tissue histopathological changes in rats with adjuvant arthritis / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

Aim To observe the variation of T-cell subsets in spleen in different courses of disease and tis-sue histopathological changes in rats with adjuvant ar-thritis (AA).Methods The model of rat AA was in-duced by complete Freund’s adjuvant into the right hind metatarsal footpad of 20 male Lewis rats.Arthritis was evaluated by total score,arthritis index and paw swelling number. The percentage of total (CD3 +CD4 +), memory (CD4 + CD44 +), no-sensitizated (CD4 + CD62L +) and Th1 7 (CD4 + IL-1 7 +) on CD4 +T cells in spleen were detected by flow cytometry on days 1 4 and 22 after immuniozation.The his-topathological evaluation of heart,liver,spleen,lung, kidney,ankle joints and mesenteric lymph nodes were examined by hematoxylin and eosin (HE)stain.Re-sults The onset of secondary arthritis appeared on a-bout day 1 0 after immunization,with a peak onset on day 1 9.Systematic arthritis symptoms included front and hind paw swelling and redness (swelling was more apparent in the front rather than hind paws),nodule formation and redness on the ears,connective tissue swelling and redness of the nose and evident nodules and redness on the tail.Total score,arthritis index and the paw swelling numbers were enhanced in AA rats. Pathohistology of ankles joints showed hyperplasia, pannus formation,and inflammatory cells infiltration in AA rats.And pathohistology of heart,liver,spleen, kidney and mesenteric lymph nodes showed inflamma-tory changes.Compared with normal group,there was no change in the percentage of total,memory and no-sensitizated CD4 +T cell in the early stage inflammation but they were significantly enhanced in the peak of in-flammation.Th1 7 cell subsets were significantly en-hanced in both of the early and peak of inflammation. Conclusion These findings suggest that abnormal T cell responses and tissue histopathological changes are important features of AA rats.