title: Distinct oligosaccharide content of rheumatoid arthritis-derived immune complexes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between glycosylation and immune complex formation in various disease groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immune complexes and IgG were isolated from serum and their carbohydrate content evaluated in a dot-blot assay using specifically binding lectins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more N-acetylglucosamine was detected in complexes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in those from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn's disease, or infectious endocarditis, or from normal controls (P < 0.001). The immune complex concentration in the circulation was strongly associated with N-acetylglucosamine levels (P < 0.001 by chi-square analysis).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The composition of immune complexes from RA patients is distinct in carbohydrate content from those found in other disease groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Hay
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005690:Galactose / Q000032:analysis; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D037102:Lectins; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000117:Acetylglucosamine; D005690:Galactose