Citrullinated vimentin as an important antigen in immune complexes from synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients with antibodies against citrullinated proteins |
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Authors: | Katleen Van Steendam Kelly Tilleman Marlies De Ceuleneer Filip De Keyser Dirk Elewaut Dieter Deforce |
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Affiliation: | (1) Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium;(2) Department of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium |
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Abstract: | Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease, which results in destruction of the joint. The presence of immune complexes (IC) in serum and synovial fluid of RA patients might contribute to this articular damage through different mechanisms, such as complement activation. Therefore, identification of the antigens from these IC is important to gain more insight into the pathogenesis of RA. Since RA patients have antibodies against citrullinated proteins (ACPA) in their serum and synovial fluid (SF) and since elevated levels of citrullinated proteins are detected in the joints of RA patients, citrullinated antigens are possibly present in IC from RA patients. |
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