Twenty seven biopsies of articular cartilage taken intraoperatively from patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and from control patients with traumas were examined using histopathological techniques (HE, VG, PAS-Alcian, Gömöri, Safranine 0) and histoenzymological techniques (Acid phosphatase-lysomal marker, Chondroitinsulphatase, Peroxidase). Histopathologically, the rheumatoid articular cartilage appears with superficial and deep cartilaginous fissures, frequent perichondrocytic gaps associated with modification of the tinctorial activity. At the pannus synovia-cartilage junction we found invasive and destructive synovial inflammatory infiltrates penetrating and eroding the cartilage. Histoenzymologically, the rheumatoid chondrocytes have a high lysosomal potential (phosphatasic, chondroitinsulphatasic) and highly oxidative potential (peroxidasic) specific for lesion modifications.

Acid Phosphatase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Aspects of ankylosing spondylarthritis immunopathogenesis correlated with some immunoseric- and synovial parameters in the investigation of histopathological and electronmicroscopic alterations of the articular cartilage correlated with some immunoseric and synovial parameters.

Eighteen biopsies of articular cartilage taken intraoperatory from patients with Ankylosing Spondylarthritis (AS) and from others with traumatisms (controls) were investigated using histopathological (HE, VG, PAS-Alcian, Gömöri, Safranin 0), electronmicroscopic and histoenzymamologic techniques. Histopathologically, the synovitis in AS is characterized by abundant synovia lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates associated with aspects of vascular hyperplasia and fibrosis. At the pannus synovia-cartilage junction we found the invasive synovia lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates. The proteoglycan (PG) depletion is confirmed histopathologically by diminishing the Safranin 0 staining, then ultrastructurally by the existence of collagen revealing areas, whereas biochemically, by the presence of glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in serum and synovial fluid (SF). The morphological data were related to some immunological parameters involved in pathogenesis. In this way, we found pathological values of the immune circulating complexes (ICC) (serum, mean = 73.5 U; SF mean = 81.80 U) and of anti Collagen II antibodies (serum mean = 410 U; SF mean = 436 U). The reactive protein C acting in the phase (CRP) showed high pathological values both in serum (mean = 5.01 mg%) and in SF (mean = 3.6 mg%) of the patients with AS, emphasizing the inflammatory characteristics of the rheumatic disease. The presence of ICC, anticollagen II antibodies and GAS as well in synovia suggests that the inflammatory articulation in AS is a local potential antigen of collagen and proteoglycan nature.

Cartilage, Articular↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Aspects of immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis correlated with some immunological parameters in histopathological and electronmicroscopical investigations of the articular cartilage.

The histopathological (H. E., V. G., PAS-Alcian, Safranine 0, Gömöri) and electron-microscopical investigations were carried out on twenty samples of articular cartilage taken during operations from patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (R. A.) and from others with traumatism, as controls. Histopathologically, the rheumatoid synovial membrane is characterized by synovitis with abundant perivascular lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates. At the pannus synovia-cartilage junction we found the invasive and destructive inflammatory infiltrates penetrating and eroding the cartilage. The histopathological characteristics of the rheumatoid articular cartilage lie in alteration of tinctorial activity, affection of reticuline collagen network and the presence of superficial and deep cartilaginous fissures. The histopathological alterations were confirmed ultrastructurally. Immunologically we found pathological serum values regarding the immune circulating complexes (I. C. C.) (mean = 104 +/- 1.04 U), anticollagen II antibodies (mean = 538 +/- 5 U), reactive Protein C (mean = 16.75 +/- 1.95 mg%) and orosomucoid (mean = 151.1 +/- 4.91 mg%), in seropositive R. A. The corroboration of histopathological, electronmicroscopical and immunological data show the inflammatory and autoimmune feature of this rheumatic disease.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Correlation of some cytomorphological and ultrastructural modifications of synovial fluid in juvenile chronic arthritis.

Experiments have been performed on 25 synovial fluid samples from patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (mono- and polyarticular forms) and with hydroarthrosis, the latter considered as controls. By cytomorphologic studies, we determined the cellularity, ragocytosis and synoviocytogram of the synovial fluid cellular pellet and found out that the synovial fluid from cases of juvenile chronic arthritis is characterised by cytosis (11.270/mm3; 15.275/mm3), polynucleosis (67.3%, 72.2%) and ragocytosis (12.8%, 17.5%) whereas hydroarthrosis synovial fluid is characterised by lymphocytosis (47.8%). Ultrastructurally, ragocyte-like polymorphonuclear cells are characterised by: a) segmentation of the nucleus and preferential concentration of chromatime on the periphery of the nuclear membrane: b) frequent intracytoplasmic inclusions and phagolysosomes. Phagocyte-like mononuclear cells present numerous inclusions and phagolysosomes, certainly indicating an endocytic activity. Lymphocytes are characterised by a narrow cytoplasmic rim, presenting relatively few cellular organelles. They coexist with immunely activated lymphocytes rich in cytoplasm, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticle. Corroboration of cytomorphological and ultrastructural date enables us to explain the morphological modifications and emphasize their importance in juvenile chronic arthritis pathogenesis and diagnosis.

Arthritis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunocytomorphopathological studies on the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Thirty cases of rheumatoid arthritis were submitted to cytomorphological, histopathological (HE, VG, PAS Alcian, Gömöri, Safranine O), histoenzymological (Acid Phosphatase, chondroitin-sulphatase, Peroxidase) and immunological (rheumatoid factor (RF)) studies; circulating immune complexes, anti-collagen antibodies II, Reactive C protein (CRP), Complementary C3 fraction were also assessed. The synoviocytogram of the rheumatoid synovial fluid (SF) indicated a cytosis with polynucleosis and ragocytosis compared to the hydroarthrosic SF defined by lymphocytosis (47.8%). Enzymologically, especially for high titres of rheumatoid factor, a phosphatase and peroxidase activity was observed in polymorphonuclear cells of a ragocytary type and in phagocytic mononuclear cells. The severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were correlated histopathologically with chronic villous synovitis associated with some processes of obliterant vascularitis, fibrosis and sclerosis. At the level of synovio-cartilage junction, fissures and a homogenization of the cartilaginous fundamental substance in the vicinity of disintegrated synovial structures were noticed. Histoenzymologically, a lysosomal and oxidative activity was found in chondrocytes and in synovial macrophages. Immunological assessments (73 serum and 60 synovial fluid samples) showed pathological values of circulating immune complexes, anti-collagen antibodies and C reactive protein. The complementary synovial depletion of the C3 fraction underlines the immune character of the rheumatoid synovitis. The immunocytomorphologic data correlation demonstrates the involvement of immunologic and enzymatic factors in the evolution of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Acid Phosphatase↗