THE DETECTION OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS DNA IN DENDRITIC CELLS FROM THE JOINTS OF PATIENTS WITH ASEPTIC ARTHRITIS

Three patients with inflammatory arthritis were found to beseropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Two ofthese individuals developed synovitis following an episode ofyersinia bowel infection. We have studied joint material fromall three in an attempt to define the role that HIV may be playingin the aetiology or maintenance of arthritis Cell-associated HIV DNA was detected within joint fluid by insitu hybridization and the phenotypes of infected cells wereestablished using a double-labelling immunocytochemical technique.Viral DNA was detected in dendritic cells (4-25%) isolated fromboth the peripheral blood and synovial fluid and in occasionallymphocytes from peripheral blood (<0·1%). No infectedmacrophages were seen Functional studies using the mixed leucocyte reaction showedthat the dendritic cells from synovial fluid were poor stimulatorsof allogenic peripheral blood lymphocytes whilst being effectiveat stimulating autologous lymphocytes. In addition, synovialfluid lymphocytes responded poorly to normal control dendriticcells. Infection of these cells with HIV could be contributingto this low stimulatory activity of antigen-presenting cellsand to the unresponsiveness of lymphocytes KEY WORDS: HIV, Antigen-presenting cells, Lymphocytes, Synovial fluid