TYPE-II COLLAGEN-IMMUNE COMPLEX ARTHRITIS IN SHEEP - COLLAGEN ANTIBODIES IN SERUM, SYNOVIAL-FLUID AND AFFERENT LYMPH

Abstract

Type II native bovine collagen was used to induce arthritis in sheep. The sheep received a subcutaneous injection of collagen in Freund's adjuvant, and some sheep also received an intra-articular injection of collagen. The response to the collagen injections was monitored by measurement of antibody levels to bovine and ovine collagen in serum, synovial fluid and afferent lymph samples. There were antibodies in the normal sheep serum which reacted with native and denatured type II collagen, but there was a marked rise in serum and synovial fluid reactivity after subcutaneous injection of native collagen. In these sensitised sheep there was a further rise in antibody levels in the synovial flu..