The role of T lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

The article discusses several studies on the role of T lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases. A 1976 study was able to determine the predominance of T cells in lymphocytic infiltrates in RA patients by using antibodies and immunofluorescence. Another study demonstrated that T lymphocytes affect the activity of inflammation in RA. A model was developed to distinguish subsets of CD4+ effector T cells based on cytokine production.