Rheumatoid factor-immunoglobulin G complex precipitation and neutrophil stimulation: an in vitro model for rheumatoid inflammation

The inflammatory process occurring in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is usually characterized by synovial effusions involving moderate to large numbers of neutrophils and soluble and/or insoluble immunoglobulin G complexes“. Our studies utilize 51CrCl3 labelled and unlabelled complexes to determine immunoglobulin G complex interactions with rheumatoid factor and neutrophils and a radiolabelled glucose assay of neutrophil hexose monophosphate shunt activity to further explore these interactions which may be an important contributor to the inflammatory process occurring in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis1.