Role of immunity to mycobacterial stress proteins in rheumatoid arthritis.

'Stress Proteins in Inflammation' provided a forum for the discussion of topical issues in this rapidly moving field. The mycobacterial 65 kDa stress proteins play a key role in certain animal models of inflammatory arthritis. However, the impression emerging is that the mechanism probably involves more than a simple cross-reaction between mycobacterial SP65 and either the host SP65 or a cartilage antigen, and that evidence for a primary role in human rheumatoid arthritis is lacking. A realistic role for immune responses against stress proteins might be the amplification or perpetuation of inflammation. If so, this is unlikely to be limited to arthritis.