Skip to main content
PMC home page
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1967 Jul;2(4):501–509.

Rheumatoid factor in synovial effusions: local production and consumption

K Hannestad, O J Mellbye
PMCID: PMC1578860  PMID: 4167750

Abstract

The ratio of synovial fluid γM-type rheumatoid factor (RF) to serum RF was compared with the ratio for two other γM-antibodies (trypsin- and periodate agglutinin) and total γM-globulin content in thirteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In one case, the ratio for RF was higher than the ratios for the other γM-globulins and declined after synovectomy, indicating that a significant amount of RF in the synovial fluid was derived from locally produced RF. In three cases, the ratio for RF was lower than the other γM-globulin ratios, indicating local consumption or inhibition of RF in the joint. It was postulated that this phenomenon was due to some form of aggregated γG-globulin. In nine cases, the ratio for RF was equal or almost equal to the ratios for the other γM-globulins, indicating that the synovial fluid RF in these cases was mainly delivered from the circulation.

Full text

PDF
505

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. 1958 REVISION of diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1959 Feb;2(1):16–20. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(195902)2:1<16::aid-art1780020104>3.0.co;2-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BLAND J. H., CLARK L. Rheumatoid factor in serum and joint fluid. Ann Intern Med. 1963 May;58:829–836. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-58-5-829. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Barnett E. V., Bienenstock J., Bloch K. J. Antinuclear factors in synovia. Possible participants in the rheumatoid inclusion body. JAMA. 1966 Oct 10;198(2):143–148. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. EDELMAN G. M., KUNKEL H. G., FRANKLIN E. C. Interaction of the rheumatoid factor with antigen-antibody complexes and aggregated gamma globulin. J Exp Med. 1958 Jul 1;108(1):105–120. doi: 10.1084/jem.108.1.105. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FAHEY J. L., MCKELVEY E. M. QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF SERUM IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN ANTIBODY-AGAR PLATES. J Immunol. 1965 Jan;94:84–90. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FRANKLIN E. C., HOLMAN H. R., MULLER-EBERHARD H. J., KUNKEL H. G. An unusual protein component of high molecular weight in the serum of certain patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Exp Med. 1957 May 1;105(5):425–438. doi: 10.1084/jem.105.5.425. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FUDENBERG H. H., KUNKEL H. G. Physical properties of the red cell agglutinins in acquired hemolytic anemia. J Exp Med. 1957 Nov 1;106(5):689–702. doi: 10.1084/jem.106.5.689. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. GRUBB R., SWAHN B. Destruction of some agglutinins but not of others by two sulfhydryl compounds. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1958;43(3):305–309. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1958.tb04899.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HARBOE M. Interactions of rheumatoid factor with immune precipitate containing antibody of human origin. Ann Rheum Dis. 1961 Dec;20:363–368. doi: 10.1136/ard.20.4.363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HOLLANDER J. L., MCCARTY D. J., Jr, ASTORGA G., CASTRO-MURILLO E. STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF RHEUMATOID JOINT INFLAMMATION. I. THE "R.A. CELL" AND A WORKING HYPOTHESIS. Ann Intern Med. 1965 Feb;62:271–280. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-62-2-271. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hannestad K. Presence of aggregated gamma-G-globulin in certain rheumatoid synovial effusions. Clin Exp Immunol. 1967 Jul;2(4):511–529. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. KIPNIS D. M., SACKS M. S. Observations on an agglutinin in human serum for per-iodate-treated erythrocytes. J Lab Clin Med. 1955 Apr;45(4):632–640. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. KREHL W. A., BOISVERT P. L., DE FOREST G. K., MUCCI M. B. The rheumatoid factor in serum and synovial fluid. Yale J Biol Med. 1957 Sep;30(1):30–37. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MACKIEWICZ S., FENRYCH W. Immuno-electrophoretic analysis of proteins in serum and synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1961 Sep;20:265–273. doi: 10.1136/ard.20.3.265. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Mellbye O. J. Reversible agglutination of trypsinised red cells by a gamma-M-globulin synthesized by the human foetus. Scand J Haematol. 1966;3(4):310–324. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1966.tb02375.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mellbye O. J. Reversible agglutination of trypsinised red cells by normal human sera: identification of the agglutinating factor as a gamma-M-globulin. Scand J Haematol. 1965;2(4):318–330. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1965.tb01308.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. PARKER R. L., SCHMID F. R. Phagocytosis of particulate complexes of gamma-globulin and rheumatoid factor. J Immunol. 1962 Apr;88:519–525. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. PEKIN T. J., Jr, ZVAIFLER N. J. HEMOLYTIC COMPLEMENT IN SYNOVIAL FLUID. J Clin Invest. 1964 Jul;43:1372–1382. doi: 10.1172/JCI105013. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. PODLIACHOUK L., EYQUEM A., JACQUELINE F. Le diagnostic de la polyarthrite chronique évolutive par agglutination des globules rouges humains sensibilisés. Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1958 May;94(5):659–662. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Peltier A., Coste F., Delbarre F. Etudes sur le complément hémolytique dans certaines maladies ostéo-articulaires. Résultats d'ensemble. Presse Med. 1966 Jun 11;74(29):1523–1528. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. RAWSON A. J., ABELSON N. M., HOLLANDER J. L. STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF RHEUMATOID JOINT INFLAMMATION. II. INTRACYTOPLASMIC PARTICULATE COMPLEXES IN RHEUMATOID SYNOVIAL FLUIDS. Ann Intern Med. 1965 Feb;62:281–284. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-62-2-281. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. RODNAN G. P., EISENBEIS C. H., Jr, CREIGHTON A. S. THE OCCURRENCE OF RHEUMATOID FACTOR IN SYNOVIAL FLUID. Am J Med. 1963 Aug;35:182–188. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(63)90209-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. RODNAN G. P., MACLACHLAN M. J. The absorption of serum albumin and gamma globulin from the knee joint of man and rabbit. Arthritis Rheum. 1960 Apr;3:152–157. doi: 10.1002/art.1780030206. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. SCHUR P. H., SANDSON J. Immunologic studies of the proteins of human synovial fluid. Arthritis Rheum. 1963 Apr;6:115–129. doi: 10.1002/art.1780060204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. VAUGHAN J. H. Behavior of the rheumatoid arthritis agglutinating factor with immune precipitates. J Immunol. 1956 Sep;77(3):181–188. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. YACHNIN S., GARDNER F. H. pH Dependent hemolytic systems. III. The physical properties of the serum factors involved, with some observations on their occurrence in various disease states in man. Blood. 1961 Sep;18:349–363. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Zucker-Franklin D. The phagosomes in rheumatoid synovial fluid leukocytes: a light, fluorescence, and electron microscope study. Arthritis Rheum. 1966 Feb;9(1):24–36. doi: 10.1002/art.1780090104. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES