INTRODUCTION Patients with tuberculosis (TB) frequently produce anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). The objective of this study is to characterize the citrulline-dependence of the ACPA reactivity in sera of patients with mycobacterium infections. METHODS Serum samples of 134 patients with untreated mycobacterium infections (122 TB, 12 nontuberculous mycobacterium) were tested for an...

The production of autoantibodies to citrullinated type II collagen and the citrullination of type II collagen were analyzed in rheumatoid arthritis. Autoantibodies to citrullinated type II collagen were detected in 78.5% of serum samples from 130 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Autoantibodies to native noncitrullinated type II collagen were detected in 14.6% of serum samples, all of which were p...

Objective. High levels of ACPAs in RA are associated with more severe arthritis and worse prognosis. However, the role of ACPAs in mediating the increased risk of heart failure in RA remains undefined. We examined whether specific ACPAs were associated with subclinical left ventricular (LV) phenotypes that presage heart failure. Methods. Sera from RA patients without clinical cardiovascular d...

We have developed a novel antibody-based treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. In a collagen antibody-induced arthritis mouse model, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) prevent the onset and/or exacerbation of inflammation, and prevent or strongly reduce joint damage. For the development of this novel therapy, we focussed on rheumatoid arthritis-specific citrullinated peptide epitopes. ...

OBJECTIVE Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) are characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, their presence years before the onset of clinical RA is perplexing. Although multiple putative citrullinated antigens have been identified, no studies have demonstrated the specific capacity of these antigens to initiate inflammatory arthritis. This study was undertaken to recapitul...

Here we used solid-phase methods to prepare oligonucleotides carrying fibrin/ filaggrin citrullinated peptides. Post-synthetic conjugation protocols were successfully applied for the synthesis of oligonucleotides carrying small peptides. A stepwise protocol using acid treatment for the final deprotection allowed the preparation of polypyrimidine oligonucleotides carrying longer and arginine-ric...

Antibodies directed to citrullinated proteins (e.g. anti-CCP [cyclic citrullinated peptide] antibodies) are highly specific for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These antibodies are produced at the site of inflammation in RA, and therefore citrullinated antigens are also expected to be present in the inflamed synovium. We discuss literature showing that the presence of citrullinated proteins in the s...

Background: The linkage between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis is well established. Commonalities among the two are that both are chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by bone loss, an association with the shared epitope susceptibility allele, and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. Methods: To explore immune mechanisms that may connect the two seemingly disparate disorde...

L-Citrulline is a non-essential but still important amino acid that released from enterocytes. Because plasma levels are reduced in case of impaired intestinal function, it has become biomarker to monitor integrity. Moreover, oxidative stress induces protein citrullination, and antibodies against anti-citrullinated proteins useful rheumatoid diseases. Citrullinated histones, however, may even p...