Modifications of the phospholipids turnover in leukocytes from polyarthritic patients

The phospholipids are ubiquitous and essential components of organelles and cellular membrane systems. It has been postulated that the flow and transformation of membranes in the direction endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi apparatus-plasma membrane might be reflected by the phospholipids turnover. The study of the phospholipids turnover represents thus a possible tool to explore some aspects of cell membrane activation. By the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) test in arthritis, variations of cell adherence to glass have been used to detect the specific recognition of synovial components by normal leukocytes sensitized by IgG rheumatoid factor. However, the metabolic changes observed during this process remain unknown. To our knowledge, no evidence exists that the cell metabolism is altered during the immune recognition leading to a loss of adherence in the assay. The aim of this work was to correlate the phospholipids turnover modifications with the sensitization of normal leukocytes by polyarthritic serum as well as with the adherence changes observed microscopically during the interaction of leukocytes with the related antigenic synovial components.SCOPUS: NotDefined.j