Antibodies to synthetic peptides from Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 in sera of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and in preillness sera.
We studied IgG antibody levels to synthetic peptides (p62, E11 and E3) from Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) protein sequence in sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in pre-RA and in rheumatoid factor (RF) positive non-RA sera from Finland. Anti-E11 and anti-E3 antibody levels were significantly elevated in RA sera, compared with both RF negative and RF positive nonrheumatoid controls. The concentrations of anti-E11 and anti-E3 antibodies in the preillness sera were lower than those in RA sera. Eight-year followup samples of patients with RA had slightly decreased levels of anti-E3 and anti-E11 antibodies compared with samples taken within 6 months of the disease onset. Anti-p62 antibody levels did not differ significantly between any of the groups studied. Thus, elevated levels of antibodies to 2 of the glycine containing EBNA-1 peptides were associated with clinical RA.
Kouri
T
T
Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA.
Petersen
J
J
Rhodes
G
G
Aho
K
K
Palosuo
T
T
Heliövaara
M
M
Isomäki
H
H
von Essen
R
R
Vaughan
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010455:Peptides; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor