抗Le^y抗体を用いた RA の滑膜・軟骨組織におけるアポトーシスの発現と病的意義

抄録

Le^y antigen expression is assumed to be a predisposing marker for apoptosis. In this study we semi-quantitatively examined apoptosis of cells in joint tissues, such as synovia, cartilage and bone in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by means of an immuno-histochemical technique with anti-Le^y antigen antibodies.
In synovia of patients with trauma or osteoarthritis (OA), only a few inflammatory cells were positive for Le^y, while in RA, inflammatory cells, mainly neutrophils, were strongly Le^y positive. Furthermore capillary endothelial cells were also Le^y positive.
In RA the number of Le^y positive inflammatory cells increased with the progression of inflammation, and decreased with the progression of fibrosis. The number of capillaries with Le^y positive endothelial cells, revealed same tendency. We concluded therefore that apoptosis is related to the degree of inflammation in RA.
In bone and cartilage of patients with RA, some chondrocytes neighboring granulations were Le^y positive, but there were no positive cells in patients with OA. For this reason we propose that apoptosis of chondrocytes may be triggering to cartilagenous destruction as well as production of proteinases in RA.