Estimation of serum V kappa IIIb light chains in rheumatoid arthritis and correlation with CD5-positive B-cells.
The presence of V kappa IIIb light chains in the sera of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients has been evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). V kappa IIIb light chains have been confirmed to be largely restricted to IgM, and were rarely detected in the IgG fraction of sera. The concentration of total serum V kappa IIIb did not significantly vary with age, nor did it correlate with IgM-rheumatoid factor (RF) titre. Although total serum V kappa IIIb was not significantly increased in RA patients compared with matched controls, IgM-RFs frequently contained V kappa IIIb. Using flow cytometry, CD5-positive B-cells were not increased in these RA patients compared with healthy laboratory control personnel. Furthermore, there was no direct correlation between total serum IgM V kappa IIIb content and CD5-positive B-cell numbers in peripheral blood.
Department of Immunology, University of Liverpool.
H B
HB
Smalley
J
J
Todd
R M
RM
Barnes
R N
RN
Thompson
G N
GN
Abraham
P M
PM
Johnson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor