Reciprocal Activation of Fibroblast-like Synoviocyte and Type II Collagen-reactive T cell in Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the interaction between type II collagen (CII)-reactive T cell and fibroblast-like synoviocyte in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Peripheral blood T cells from RA patients were cultured with bovine CII and analyzed by flow cytometry. After co-culture with CII-reactive T cells and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), the expression of cytokines (IL-15 and TNF-alpha from FLS, IFN-gamma and IL-17 from CII-reactive T cells) were determined by ELISA and RT-PCR. RESULTS: CII-reactive T cells expressed CD69, one of the early activation markers, and produced significant amount of IFN-gamma, and proliferated. IL-15 and TNF-alpha expression from FLS were significantly elevated when co-culture with CII-reactive T cells and inhibited by physical interruption of cell-to-cell contact or anti-CD40 antibody. IFN-gamma and IL-17 expression from CII-reactive T cells were also significantly elevated when co-culture with FLS and inhibited by anti-IL-15 monoclonal antibody. CONCLUSIONS: CII-reactive T cells can activate FLS to secret proinflammatoy cytokines and interactions between these two cells drive further activation of each other. These data suggest that CII-reactive T cell may play a important role in pathogenesis of RA.