Citrulline‐Specific Th1 Cells Are Increased in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Their Frequency Is Influenced by Disease Duration and Therapy

• Published in: Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) Vol. 66; no. 7; pp. 1712 - 1722
• Main Authors: James, Eddie A., Rieck, Mary, Pieper, Jennifer, Gebe, John A., Yue, Betty B., Tatum, Megan, Peda, Melissa, Sandin, Charlotta, Klareskog, Lars, Malmström, Vivianne, Buckner, Jane H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2014
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - immunology; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - pathology; Biological Factors - therapeutic use; Citrulline - immunology; Citrulline - metabolism; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte - metabolism; Haplotypes; HLA-DRB1 Chains - genetics; HLA-DRB1 Chains - immunology; HLA-DRB1 Chains - metabolism; Humans; Immunologic Memory - immunology; Immunophenotyping; Lymphocytes; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Middle Aged; Rheumatism; Rheumatoid arthritis; Synovial Membrane - immunology; Synovial Membrane - metabolism; Th1 Cells - cytology; Th1 Cells - immunology; Th1 Cells - metabolism; Vimentin - immunology; Vimentin - metabolism

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is thought to be a T cell–mediated disease, based on its strong association with HLA class II alleles, clinical responsiveness to T cell–directed therapies, and the presence of CD4+ T cells in rheumatoid joints. The presence of anti–citrullinated protein antibodie...