Open AccessCharacterization of altered calcium signalling in T lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Author(s) -
CARRUTHERS D. M.,
NAYLOR W. G.,
ALLEN M. E.,
KITAS G. D.,
BACON P. A.,
YOUNG S. P.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2249.1996.d01-768.x
Subject(s) - phytohaemagglutinin , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , stimulation , endocrinology , immunology , medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , t cell , immune system , calcium , biology , in vitro , biochemistry
Abnormal function of peripheral blood T lymphocytes is characteristic of RA; diminished proliferation and secretion of cytokines following in vitro mitogen stimulation are observed. We have investigated the calcium flux initiating T cell activation in rheumatoid peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to determine whether abnormalities in signalling are also present. We have found that both phytohaemagglutinin (PHA‐P)‐ and anti‐CD3‐stimulated calcium fluxes were much reduced in the patients’ PBMC compared with controls, with a mean six‐fold difference ( P < 0.01) in rate of Ca 2+ flux with PHA‐P stimulation. When purified T cells were examined with PHA and CD3 stimulation, a reduction in the peak and plateau [Ca 2+ ] i was observed in RA T cells, but the rate of rise of [Ca 2+ ] i was only reduced in those cells stimulated with PHA. These results suggest that alterations in the initiating signal may underlie the functional T cell abnormalities associated with RA, and that there may be an additional extrinsic influence from non‐T cells in the PBMC population.