Dendritic cells from human rheumatoid synovial inflammatory tissue and peripheral blood as accessory cells in mitogen stimulation of T lymphocytes.

Dendritic cells (DC) were purified from the peripheral blood (PB) of normal individuals and from the synovial fluid (SF) and synovial tissue (ST) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These cells are strongly HLA-DR positive and lack B-cell, T-cell, and monocyte markers as well as Birbeck granules. The DC were compared with monocytes and non-T cells from PB for their ability to act as accessory cells for T-cell responses to concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). DC from PB, SF and ST were much more efficient accessory cells for the mitogenic responses than autologous monocytes from PB. The mean PHA responses in cpm obtained with DC from the various compartments were 4-20 times greater than the responses obtained with monocytes from PB. The Con A responses obtained when the various DC populations were used as accessory cells were 3-13 times greater than those obtained with monocytes from PB. The mitogenic responses seen with monocytes were very low. The non-T cells, which comprise a mixture of cells obtained after removal of T cells, also gave low T-cell responses to PHA and Con A compared with DC as accessory cells.