lactoferrin and Arthritis--Reactive

To study the frequency and distribution of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) among patients with reactive arthritis (ReA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and ulcerative colitis (UC) using different immunological methods.. Fifty serum samples from patients with reactive arthritis (26 with acute disease and 24 with chronic disease-that is disease of more than one year) were analysed for ANCA with indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with six different neutrophil granule proteins as antigens, and immunoblotting on whole neutrophil extract and extracts of azurophil and specific granules. Thirty serum samples from patients with RA and UC served as controls in ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence.. Sixteen per cent of patients with ReA were positive in immunofluorescence compared with 30% of patients with RA, and 70% of patients with UC. Thirty two per cent of patients with ReA were positive in ELISA. Antibodies directed against lactoferrin occurred in 20%, antibodies against bactericidal permeability increasing protein (BPI), elastase, cathepsin G, myeloperoxidase, and proteinase 3 were found in 8%, 2%, 2%, 8%, and 6%, respectively. Overall, 50% of RA sera and 53% of UC sera were positive in one or more ELISA assays, the corresponding figures for antibodies against individual antigens were for RA 7%, 3%, 0%, 13%, 47%, 17% and for UC 13%, 20%, 0%, 23%, 10%, and 17%. In immunoblotting, bands corresponding to lactoferrin and BPI were recognised in 44% and 22% of ReA sera.. Antibodies against neutrophil granule antigens are often found in patients with ReA, primarily among those with chronic disease. The different methods detect various subsets of antibodies, with immunoblotting being the most and immunofluorescence the least sensitive.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; Arthritis, Reactive; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chronic Disease; Colitis, Ulcerative; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Epitopes; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Humans; Immunoblotting; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Prohibitins; Sensitivity and Specificity

Fifty-five serum samples from patients with reactive arthritis (ReA), 40 from patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and three from patients with chronic sacroiliac joint arthritis were analysed for the presence of ANCA of IgG class by means of enzyme immunosorbent assay using lactoferrin (Lf), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and antigen extracted from azurophil granules ('alpha-antigen') containing proteinase 3 (PR3) as substrate. IgG-ANCA were found in 31 (56%) patients with ReA. Twenty-three (42%) had anti-Lf antibodies, nine (16%) had anti-MPO and eight (15%) had anti-alpha-antigen antibodies, none of which reacted with PR3. Only six (14%) AS or sacroiliac joint arthritis patients had ANCA (P < 0.001). Three (7%) had anti-Lf, two (5%) anti-MPO and two (5%) anti-alpha-antigen antibodies. Yersinia and Salmonella bacteria were separated by SDS-PAGE and blots were incubated with serum from rabbits immunized with human Lf. The hyperimmune serum recognized a band of 78 kD from both bacteria which was not seen when preimmune serum was used. The reaction to the 78-kD antigen could be completely inhibited when anti-Lf antibodies were absorbed on Lf coupled to cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose, possibly indicating cross-reacting epitopes in Lf and enterobacterial antigen.

Topics: Adult; Animals; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; Arthritis, Reactive; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Immunoblotting; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Peroxidase; Prohibitins; Rabbits; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

To study the occurrence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in reactive arthritis (ReA).. Sera from 22 patients with ReA were analyzed by ELISA for the presence of autoantibodies (IgG and IgA) against a proteinase-3 containing azurophilic granule extract ("alpha-antigen") from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and lactoferrin (Lf), respectively. Rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and HLA-B27 were also tested. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and serum levels of C-reactive protein were used to assess disease activity. The patients were divided into acute or chronic (> 1 year) disease.. 12/22 patients (55%) had IgG ANCA (7 had MPO ANCA, 8 had Lf ANCA, and 4 had alpha-ANCA). Eight patients (36%) had IgA ANCA. One serum was positive only for IgA ANCA. 18/21 patients (86%) were HLA-B27 positive, and none had RF or ANA. The triggering infection was Chlamydia trachomatis in 6 cases. Campylobacter jejuni in 6, Yersinia enterocolitica in 4. In 6 patients the causative microorganism could not be determined. ANCA was more prevalent in chronic disease (6/7, 82%) compared to acute (7/15, 47%). No obvious correlation was seen between ANCA and disease activity.. ANCA, predominantly those reacting with Lf and/or MPO preparations, are common in ReA.

Topics: Adult; Arthritis, Reactive; Autoantibodies; Bacterial Infections; Campylobacter; Chlamydia; Chronic Disease; Cytoplasm; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin Isotypes; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Precipitating Factors; Prohibitins; Rheumatoid Factor; Serologic Tests; Yersinia

Cytidine deaminase (CD) is a cytoplasmatic enzyme present predominantly in polymorphonuclear cells (PMNC) in inflamed joints. Lactoferrin is situated in the secondary granules of PMNC and is released by secretory/phagocytic stimuli, whereas CD is released mainly upon cell lysis. To study the release of these molecules in arthritic conditions we measured CD and lactoferrin levels in synovial fluid (SF) drawn from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), crystal pyrophosphate disease (CPPD), psoriatic arthropathy, reactive arthritis, spondylarthropathy, and osteoarthrosis. CD activity was highest in SF from RA and CPPD followed by psoriatic arthropathy, reactive arthritis and spondylarthropathy. Lactoferrin concentrations were highest in CPPD followed by RA, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, and spondylarthropathy. Both CD and lactoferrin levels were low in osteoarthrosis SF. Although SF CD activity and lactoferrin levels correlated well in all diagnostic groups, the ratio between CD and lactoferrin was higher for RA, psoriatic arthropathy, and spondylarthropathy compared to reactive arthritis and CPPD. This suggests predominant release by PMNC lysis in the more chronic arthritis groups and more degranulation in the more episodic CPPD and reactive arthritis groups. CD activity and lactoferrin levels correlated significantly with SF cell counts in the RA and psoriatic arthropathy groups.

Topics: Arthritis, Psoriatic; Arthritis, Reactive; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cytidine Deaminase; Humans; Lactoferrin; Leukocyte Count; Neutrophils; Synovial Fluid; Synovitis

Activated platelets release substances which potentially can contribute to joint lesions in inflammatory arthritides. To elucidate a possible participation of platelets in inflammatory joint reactions, the concentrations of the platelet protein beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) were measured in 90 inflammatory synovial fluids. Seven percent of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis and none of the patients with other inflammatory joint diseases (e.g., Reiter's disease, reactive or crystal arthritides) had beta-TG concentrations in synovial fluid exceeding the upper normal range of plasma beta-TG. The absent or very modest signs of local platelet activation were contrasted by the pronounced neutrophilic and monocytic activation, as assessed by the measurements of some granule proteins: lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, lysozyme, and ferritin. No correlation was found between these inflammatory cell markers and beta-TG. A positive correlation (p less than 0.001) was noted between beta-TG and beta 2-microglobulin, which appeared in particularly high amounts in rheumatoid arthritis. This correlation may reflect a disturbed permeability of synovial membrane for LMW proteins or a related activation of platelets and lymphocytes. The present results do not give any evidence of platelet activation playing a major role in proliferative or destructive processes in arthritis.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arthritis, Reactive; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; beta 2-Microglobulin; Beta-Globulins; beta-Thromboglobulin; Blood Platelets; Female; Humans; Lactoferrin; Male; Middle Aged; Peroxidase; Synovial Fluid