Terminal complement complex in synovial tissue from patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and acute joint trauma

The C5b-9 complex (Terminal Complement Complex-TCC) is the final product of the terminal complement pathway. In this study, using the monoclonal antibody MCaE11 (specific for a C9 neoantigen) and an immunohistochemical technique, we examined the TCC deposits in synovial tissues from 4 patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 6 patients affected by osteoarthritis (OA). Synovial tissues from 8 patients affected by acute joint trauma were examined as controls. Furthermore, plasma TCC levels were measured in 44 RA patients and 51 controls, using the above mentioned antibody and a sandwich ELISA. Eight synovial fluids were also included in this study. Abundant TCC deposits were detected in the cytoplasm of the synovial lining cells and of large stromal mononuclear cells in all the RA and in 3 out of 6 OA synovial tissues characterized by histological signs of inflammation. No TCC deposits were found in non-inflamed synovial tissues from patients with joint trauma. In agreement with previous observations, the TCC plasma levels found were significantly higher in RA patients than in controls, but no difference was seen between patients with active and non-active disease. The mean TCC level was significantly higher in the synovial fluid than in the plasma, but no correlation emerged between these two series of values. This study shows that: a) the plasma level of TCCs cannot serve as an indicator of disease activity in RA; b) the TCC deposits in synovial tissue correlate well with the extent of inflammatory synovitis, irrespective of whether the synovitis is rheumatoid or osteoarthritic in nature.