Light and electron microscopic studies on the synovial membrane in reiter's syndrome.
Corresponding Author
H. Schumacher Ralph Jr. MD
Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Director, Arthritis-Immunology Center, Veterans Administration Medical Center (151K), University and Woodland Avenues, Philadelphia, PA 19104Search for more papers by this authorSathish Magge MD
Research Fellow
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorP. Varghese Cherian PhD
former Research Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph Sleckman MD
Former Rheumatology Fellow
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorSusan Rothfuss
Research Technician
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorGilda Clayburne
Research Technician
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorMarie Sieck
Research Technician
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
H. Schumacher Ralph Jr. MD
Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Director, Arthritis-Immunology Center, Veterans Administration Medical Center (151K), University and Woodland Avenues, Philadelphia, PA 19104Search for more papers by this authorSathish Magge MD
Research Fellow
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorP. Varghese Cherian PhD
former Research Assistant Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorJoseph Sleckman MD
Former Rheumatology Fellow
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorSusan Rothfuss
Research Technician
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorGilda Clayburne
Research Technician
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorMarie Sieck
Research Technician
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the Arthritis-Immunology Center of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Studies by light microscopy on synovium obtained from 11 patients with Reiter's syndrome during the first month of an episode showed proliferation of synovial lining cells, polymorphonuclear neutrophils among the synovial lining cells, increased surface fibrin, and vascular congestion. Biopsy specimens taken later showed vascular congestion and still proliferated synovial lining cells, fewer polymorphonuclear neutrophils in some, and a tendency toward increased infiltration with lymphocytes and plasma cells. Electron microscopy of samples from 8 patients during the first month of disease activity showed occlusion of vessels by platelets in 4, and fibrin or dense granular material in the vessel walls in 4. Five of the patients with arthritis of less than 4 weeks duration had unidentified intracellular and extracellular particles; some of these were highly suggestive of Chlamydia. No such particles were noted in samples from patients with more chronic cases. Using an antibody to Chlamydia trachomatis and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique, immunocytochemistry showed reaction product in synovial macrophages in 2 patients with arthritis of less than 4 weeks duration, but not in the 1 patient studied who had more chronic disease. These studies provide support for dramatic synovial vascular injury consistent with that caused by endotoxin and the presence of chlamydial antigen in synovial macrophages, at least in the early phases of synovitis.
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