Characterization of Synovial Fluid T Cells in Polymyalgia Rheumatica: Implication of Th1 and Tc1 Effector Memory Profiles

Rosanne Reitsema¹, Lieske Wekema², Wayel Abdulahad¹, Peter Heeringa³, Minke Huitema¹, Maria Sandovici³, Annemieke Boots³, Elisabeth Brouwer³ and Kornelis van der Geest³, ¹Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, ²Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, ³University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2021

Keywords: Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR), T-Lymphocyte

Session Information

Date: Monday, November 8, 2021

Title: Vasculitis – Non-ANCA-Associated & Related Disorders Poster I: Giant Cell Arteritis & Polymyalgia Rheumatica (1391–1419)

Session Type: Poster Session C

Session Time: 8:30AM-10:30AM

Background/Purpose: Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is a common rheumatic inflammatory disease in the elderly. PMR is characterized by synovial inflammation of (peri)articular structures in the shoulders and hips. Patients are treated with glucocorticoids. Targeted treatments are lacking since little is known about the synovial pathobiology of PMR. We aim to investigate the phenotype and function of various T cell subsets in blood and synovial fluid of patients with PMR.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 18 newly diagnosed PMR patients before treatment, and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In addition, paired blood and bursal synovial fluid (subacromial-subdeltoid bursa, subscapular bursa) or tenosynovial fluid (biceps long head) samples were collected from 9 patients with active PMR. The following T cell subsets were identified by flow cytometry: T naive (CD45RO-CCR7+), central memory (CD45RO+CCR7+), effector memory (CD45RO+CCR7-), effector memory re-expressing CD45RA (CD45RO-CCR7-) cells and CD28null senescent cells. Expression of intracellular cytokines (IL-17A, IFN-γ, IL-4) was determined at 4 hours after stimulation with PMA/calcium ionophore.

Results: The frequencies of all major T cell subsets were similar in the blood of patients with PMR and healthy controls. Synovial fluid of patients with PMR was enriched with effector memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, whereas the percentage of CD28null senescent CD8+ T cells was lower in the synovial fluid than in blood. Synovial fluid T cells demonstrated a capacity to produce IFN-γ rather than IL-17 or IL-4.

Conclusion: Synovial fluid T cells in PMR show a non-senescent effector memory phenotype with the capacity to produce IFN-γ, a Th1/Tc1 type cytokine. Our study provides first insights into T cell populations at the site of inflammation in patients with PMR.

Disclosures: R. Reitsema, None; L. Wekema, None; W. Abdulahad, None; P. Heeringa, None; M. Huitema, None; M. Sandovici, None; A. Boots, None; E. Brouwer, Roche, 2, 6; K. van der Geest, Roche, 6.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Reitsema R, Wekema L, Abdulahad W, Heeringa P, Huitema M, Sandovici M, Boots A, Brouwer E, van der Geest K. Characterization of Synovial Fluid T Cells in Polymyalgia Rheumatica: Implication of Th1 and Tc1 Effector Memory Profiles [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021; 73 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/characterization-of-synovial-fluid-t-cells-in-polymyalgia-rheumatica-implication-of-th1-and-tc1-effector-memory-profiles/. Accessed .

« Back to ACR Convergence 2021

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/characterization-of-synovial-fluid-t-cells-in-polymyalgia-rheumatica-implication-of-th1-and-tc1-effector-memory-profiles/