Immunohistochemical study of lymphoid tissues in adjuvant arthritis (AA) by image analysis;: relationship with synovial lesions

The aim of this study was to examine leucocyte populations in lymphoid organs during AA and to ascertain the relationship with lesions in synovial joints. Popliteal lymph nodes, spleen and knee synovial membranes were removed from both healthy and AA rats at intervals of 3-4 days over a 3-week period. Cryostat sections were stained with MoAbs directed against lymphocyte and macrophage subpopulations, and studied by image analysis. Throughout the arthritic period, high numbers of ED1(+) and ED3(+) macrophages were seen in both lymphoid compartments and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression also increased in some zones of lymph nodes and spleen. The percentages of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells rose in the splenic zones studied but fell in the lymph node cortex. Very few natural killer (NK) cells were found in lymphoid tissues, but the number rose after AA induction. In synovia from AA rats, ED2(+) macrophages proliferated but alpha/beta T cell infiltration was only occasionally observed, accompanied by ED1(+) cells and ICAM-1 expression. In conclusion, synovitis developing after AA induction seems to be caused directly by macrophages and indirectly by lymphocytes placed both in popliteal lymph nodes and spleen.