Characteristics of human rheumatoid synovial and normal blood dendritic cells. Retention of class II major histocompatibility complex antigens and accessory function after short-term culture.

Dendritic cells (DC) were isolated from synovial tissue and synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and from peripheral blood of healthy donors. The cells were analysed for various surface antigens in indirect immunofluorescence by means of monoclonal antibodies. Surface antigen expression and accessory activity of the DC during short-term cultures were also investigated. Both the rheumatoid synovial and the normal blood DC were strongly positive for panleucocyte antigen and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens (HLA-DP, HLA-DQ, and HLA-DR). The DC suspensions (purity approximately 80-85%) showed very low percentage of cells staining for various other cell membrane markers, including B cell, T cell, natural killer (NK) cell, and various monocyte/macrophage markers as well as markers specific for dendritic reticulum cells and Reed Sternberg cells. Moreover, neither rheumatoid nor normal DC reacted with the RFD1 monoclonal antibody, which is specific for interdigitating cells of human thymus. In contrast to Langerhans' cells, the DC lacked the thymocyte (T6) marker. The various DC expressed neither complement receptors (CR1, CR3), transferrin receptors, nor Fc receptors. They also lacked enzyme markers like peroxidase and nonspecific esterase. The DC formed clusters with autologous T cells. Cluster formation was readily inhibited by anti-HLA-DR and anti-CD2 (T11) monoclonal antibodies. After 3 to 5 days in culture the DC still expressed class II MHC antigens and were potent stimulators in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). Only a small number of cells in the DC suspensions from synovial tissue expressed fibroblast antigens before and after culture.