Open AccessImmune Complexes in Rheumatoid Arthritis Sera and Synovial Fluids
Author(s) -
Halla James T.,
Volanakis John E.,
Schrohenloher Ralph E.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1780220502
Subject(s) - raji cell , radioimmunoassay , rheumatoid arthritis , immune system , rheumatoid factor , synovial fluid , monoclonal antibody , immune complex , immunology , ligand binding assay , synovial membrane , monoclonal , medicine , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , pathology , biology , receptor , osteoarthritis , alternative medicine
Abstract Sera and synovial fluids from 88 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were examined for circulating immune complexes by three assays: monoclonal rheumatoid factor radioimmunoassay, Clq binding assay, and Raji cell radioassay. Paired samples were available for 82 patients. Immune complexes were detected with high frequency in the synovial fluid by each assay (75% by the monoclonal rheumatoid factor radioimmunoassay, 95% by the Clq binding assay, and 61% by the Raji cell radioassay). In rheumatoid arthritis sera, immune complexes were detected with high frequency by the Clq binding assay (85%) and the monoclonal rheumatoid factor radioimmunoassay (70%) but infrequently by the Raji cell radioassay (26%). The presence of immune complexes in serum was most frequently accompanied by the presence of complexes in fluid, regardless of the method of detection; moreover, the levels of immune complexes in synovial fluid were generally higher than in paired serum. Further, the levels of immune complexes as measured by the Clq binding assay correlated with certain parameters of clinical activity, while the monoclonal rheumatoid factor radioimmunoassay and Raji cell radioassay correlated with extraarticular features (excluding nodules) of rheumatoid arthritis.