title: Influence of Epstein-Barr virus infection on B lymphocyte responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The influence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection on clinical and serological features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were studied. Patients with in-vivo activated, in-vitro spontaneously proliferating EBV-infected B lymphocytes had higher levels of serum IgG and IgA, and tended to have more extensive disease. The finding of in-vivo activated EBV-transformed B cells was not specific for RA but was also seen in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. When supernatants of spontaneously proliferating B-cell lines from patients with RA were studied, autoantibody reactivities comparable with those from patients with infectious mononucleosis were detected. These observations suggest that EBV infection might have a profound influence on B-lymphocyte responses and clinical course in patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universität Giessen, FRG.
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vierbuchen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Federlin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G