Cross-reactive rheumatoid factors in rheumatoid arthritis with extra-articular disease. |
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Authors: | M Kinoshita S Aotsuka R Yokohari |
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Affiliation: | Division of Immunology, National Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan. |
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Abstract: | Rheumatoid factors (RF) have been shown to have considerable heterogeneity and bind with IgG as well as with a variety of substances such as nuclear histone, non-histone nuclear protein, nitrophenyl groups or ssDNA. We describe evidence that polyclonal RF cross-reactive with ssDNA (CRRF) are widely distributed in a variety of rheumatic diseases, and that their serum level is significantly higher in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with extra-articular disease. Although the mechanism of the cross-reactivity is not clear, the presence of CRRF could be a serological feature of a clinical subset of RA. The high prevalence rate of CRRF in RA with extra-articular disease also suggests its pathogenetic role in the extra-articular manifestation of this disease. |
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Keywords: | cross-reactive rheumatoid factors rheumatoid arthritis extra-articular disease anti-ssDNA antibodies |
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