In all 11 JIA patients tested (4 persistent oligoarticular, 5 extended oligoarticular, 2 polyarticular), the number of CD8+T cells staining positive for RANTES was considerably higher in synovial fluid T cells than in peripheral blood T cells and the difference between the two (PB compared to SF) was statistically significant (p < 0.0002; Figure 3b). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.