[Spontaneous and Fas-induced apoptosis of mononuclear leukocytes in rheumatoid arthritis].

A study was made into the ability of mononuclear leukocytes recovered from blood of 77 patients with rheumatiod arthritis (RA), 17 patients with osteoarthrosis deformans (OAD), 18 patients with Chlamydia-associated reactive arthritis (ReA), and 20 healthy controls, to precipitate spontaneous and Fas-induced apoptosis. RA patients versus healthy persons and patients with OAD and ReA displayed lower parameters characterizing spontaneous and Fas-induced apoptosis. A correlation was established between the ability of T- and B-lymphocytes to usher in Fas-induced apoptosis during incubation with RhHA and KonA and degree of RA activity.