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1: Arthritis Res. 2002;4 Suppl 3:S169-76. Epub 2002 May 9.Click here to read Links

The role of human T-lymphocyte-monocyte contact in inflammation and tissue destruction.

Division of Immunology and Allergy, Clinical Immunology Unit, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland. danielle.burger@hcuge.ch

Contact-mediated signaling of monocytes by human stimulated T lymphocytes (TL) is a potent proinflammatory mechanism that triggers massive upregulation of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These two cytokines play an important part in chronic destructive diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. To date this cell-cell contact appears to be a major endogenous mechanism to display such an activity in monocyte-macrophages. Since TL and monocyte-macrophages play a pivotal part in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, we investigated the possible ligands and counter-ligands involved in this cell-cell interaction. We also characterized an inhibitory molecule interfering in this process, apolipoprotein A-I. This review aims to summarize the state of the art and importance of contact-mediated monocyte activation by stimulated TL in cytokine production in rheumatoid arthritis and mechanisms that might control it.

PMID: 12110136 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]