Antibody response to streptococcal cell wall antigens associated with experimental arthritis in rats.
The antibody response to group A streptococcal cell wall components was measured in rats during the development of chronic, remittent experimental arthritis. The arthritis was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of an aqueous suspension of group A streptococcal cell wall fragments and antibodies were measured by a radioactive antigen-binding assay. Antibodies in serum against both peptidoglycan and A polysaccharide reached maximum levels at 1 or 2 weeks and declined to preimmunization levels by day 63. The kinetics and magnitude of the antibody responses were similar in neonatally thymectomized and non-thymectomized rats. A relationship between chronic joint lesions and anti-peptidoglycan concentration in serum was indicated, since all rats which produced high levels of antibody developed severe chronic arthritis. However, 46% of the rats which produced very low levels of antibody also developed moderate to severe arthritis. There was no correlation between anti-A polysaccharide antibodies and joint disease, although the concentration of this antibody was 10- to 100-fold greater than the anti-peptidoglycan. We conclude that antibody can be a component in the pathogenesis of this experimental model of arthritis, but its role requires further elucidation.
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D007700:Kinetics; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000276:immunology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology*; D013934:Thymectomy
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial