THE RELATION OF EXPERIMENTAL ARTHRITIS TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF STREPTOCOCCAL CELL-WALL FRAGMENTS

Abstract

Injection i.p. of peptidoglycan-carbohydrate fragments from Group A streptococci produced a chronic, polyarticular, erosive synovitis in rats. The cell wall material accumulated rapidly in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes where it caused little injury. Selective localization and persistence of the material in the synovial and periarticular tissues occurred. Its presence in the joint was associated with acute and recurrent inflammation with focal synovitis, pannus formation, joint destruction and ankylosis. Cell wall fragments became localized in the synovial and periarticular tissues at a time when there were leukocytes in the bloodstream which appeared to contain the material. During this early phase vascular lesions appeared in the synovium and in periarticular tissues with collections of fibrin, neutrophils, macrophages and cell wall fragments near the venules and capillaries. Recurrent episodes of inflammation and joint injury associated with persistent cell wall antigen within macrophages were observed over 90 days.