Some "light" reading about the Lymphatic System, immunity, autoimmune issues, in this case Rheumatoid Arthritis.:
"The lymphatic system is involved in controlling inflammatory responses and in maintaining tolerance. Not surprisingly, lymphatic dysfunction is associated with inflammation, cancer development and metastasis, infectious diseases, and sepsis, as the lymphatic system plays an important role in many physiological processes.
In the case of rheumatic autoimmune diseases, there is some evidence to suggest that lymphatic dysfunction may be a contributing factor in the development of these diseases [61]. This is due to the role of the lymphatic system in the immune system.
One of the most studied autoimmune diseases regarding the role of the lymphatic system is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is a chronic inflammatory disease. It causes pain, swelling, and stiffness (reduced flexibility) in the joints. It is a type of arthritis that occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks our joints, destroying and inflaming them [62]. The local lymphatic system is said to undergo two stages of change in association with the general inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. In response to early rheumatoid arthritis or synovitis, lymphoid tissues undergo an “enlargement” phase, which increases their capacity to remove cellular debris and inflammatory cells from the site of infection, either through lymphangiogenesis or through increased vascular contraction frequency. During this expansion phase, in addition to changes in the lymphatic vessels, the draining lymph nodes themselves also expand characterized by a high infiltration of IgM+ CD23+ CD21hiCD1dhi B cells [63, 64]. This enlarged lymph node in the popliteal area may be a useful marker for the detection of arthritis in the early stages of disease activity.
Based on RA model studies, an acute arthritis flare in the early stages of the disease has been observed, with increased lymphatic drainage from inflamed joints to enlarged draining lymph nodes. After a prolonged period of expansion, a stochastic event leads to the asymmetric collapse of LNs and lymphatics. In the collapsed phase, the local lymphatic system collapses, causing a loss of lymphatic flow and a reduction in lymphatic clearance. Coordinated with the collapse, B cells migrate from the follicle into the sinuses. B cell depletion therapy reduces arthritis flares by eliminating these B cells and improving passive lymphatic drainage from inflamed joints [65, 66]."
Source: Intechopen Online
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