Expression of complement regulatory molecules and other surface markers on neutrophils from synovial fluid and blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In an effort to elucidate the activation status of neutrophils (PMN) in inflammatory joint disease the expression of relevant cell surface proteins was examined using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Paired samples of SF and peripheral blood were obtained from 18 patients with RA and PMN purified using methods designed to minimize activation in vitro. We then used flow cytometry to measure expression of the four membrane complement regulatory molecules, decay accelerating factor (DAF; CD55), complement receptor 1 (CR1; CD35), membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) and CD59; two adhesion molecules of the integrin family LFA1 (alpha chain, CD11a), complement receptor 3 (CR3; alpha chain, CD11b), and their common beta chain (CD18); the major receptor for immune complexes Fc gamma RIII (CD16), and the leucocyte common antigen tyrosine phosphatase (L-CA; CD45). Expression of these molecules was also measured on peripheral blood PMN from 18 age- and sex-matched normal controls. In RA, SF PMN expressed significantly higher levels of the complement regulators CD55 and CD35, the adhesion molecule CR3 (CD11b/CD18) and of CD45 but significantly lower levels of CD46 and CD11a in comparison with blood PMN from the same patient. Expression of CD59 and CD16 did not differ between the two groups. These changes may increase adhesiveness and complement resistance of PMN in SF compared with blood. PMN from RA expressed significantly less of all the complement C3 convertase regulators (CD55, CD46, CD35), all the adhesion molecules (CD11a, CD11b, CD18) and the phosphatase CD45 than did blood PMN from age and sex-matched control individuals.