title: Autoantibodies to collagens in Japanese patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We measured antibody levels against human type I, II, III and IV collagens in Japanese patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant elevations of antibodies against type II (IgG and IgA classes) and type IV (IgA class) collagens were observed in AS patients, whilst there was no significant elevation of any antibody class against type I or III collagen when compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that AS patients have immune responses to type II and IV collagens, which may be responsible for sustaining the characteristic local inflammations in AS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hukuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D003094:Collagen