Synthesis of Type I and Type III Collagen by Synovial Cells in Tissue Culture Derived from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis,Osteoarthritis,and Normal Individuals 1

Abstract

Abstract

Synovial tissues obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or traumatic damage (normal) were placed in culture, using the explant technique. The resulting monolayer cultures of cells were found to synthesize Type I and Type III collagen. In rheumatoid derived tissues labeled in primary organ culture, 31% of the mean total collagen produced was Type III. Rheumatoid synovial cells growing in monolayer culture at the second passage synthesized 18 ± 2% Type III collagen compared to 15 ± 2% in respective control cultures. The mean percentage of Type III collagen synthesized by rheumatoid synovial cells at the fourth passage in culture was 20 ± 3% compared to 14 ± 2% in fourth passage cells derived from osteoarthritic tissue or 13 ± 3% in fourth passage cells derived from normal human synovium. These data indicate that an increase commitment of rheumatoid synovium for Type III collagen synthesis, expressed in primary organ cultures, is not detectable in early passage cells growing in monolayer. Therefore, factors in the local tissue environment may participate in the modulation of collagen heterogeneity in the rheumatoid synovium.