Antigen and unspecific mitogen stimulation of lymphocytes eluted from rheumatoid inflammatory tissue.

Lymphocytes were eluted from synovial tissues of 17 patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis, using a procedure previously reported. Stimulation was obtained with the unspecific mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and concanavalin A (Con A) as well as with purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) and mitoycin-C-treated allogeneic lymphocytes, whereas candida antigen usually gave a low response. The pattern of reactivity to unspecific mitogens was similar to that obtained with lymphocytes from peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Two different PPD preparations usually gave transformation of the same magnitude as seen with PHA. This was in contrast to the reactivity of the peripheral blood lymphocytes. It could be demonstrated that the elution procedure initiated some degree of lymphocyte transformation, mainly potentiating the responses to PHA and Con A.