Rubella virus and rheumatoid arthritis.
A collection of synovial fibroblasts from 19 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 12 patients with osteoarthrosis or other non-RA disease has been examined for rubella virus antigens by immunofluorescence and radioimmunoassay with negative results. Eluates of synovial membrane prepared under conditions likely to dissociate antigen-antibody complexes have shown no rubella antibody. A serological survey of RA patients and those with other forms of arthritis has shown no differences in the frequency or levels of rubella haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody. These results provide little support for various hypotheses that a persistent infection with rubella virus underlies or initiates the rheumatoid process.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012412:Rubella virus / Q000276:immunology*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral