Gracey E, et al. - Researchers sought to profile ankylosing spondylitis (AS) individual cytotoxic cells with the belief that an alteration in CD8+ T cells might describe the aberrant cytotoxic profile observed in individuals. They assessed whole blood for GZM and PRF1 gene expression by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. They analyzed serum and synovial fluid (SF) for granzyme and perforin 1 expression by bead array, and blood and SF mononuclear cells were tested for granzyme and perforin 1 expression by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The data suggested that AS individuals have an altered cytotoxic T cell profile. The data revealed that CD8+ T cells with a cytotoxic phenotype are supplied to the joints, where they exhibit an activated phenotype. Therefore, a central role for CD8+ T cells in AS may have been overlooked and warrants future research.