Sugar printing rheumatic diseases: a potential method for disease differentiation using immunoglobulin G oligosaccharides.
OBJECTIVE
To look for oligosaccharide structural variants of IgG that may be unique to specific rheumatic diseases.


METHODS
Using normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography technology, a comparison was made of the oligosaccharide pools released from serum IgG from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n = 10), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (n = 10), primary Sjögren's syndrome (n = 6), juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) (n = 13), psoriatic arthritis (n = 9), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 5), and healthy control individuals (n = 19).


RESULTS
The oligosaccharide pools were resolved into 13 peaks and the relative proportions of the peaks in each disease group was significantly different from that in healthy controls (P < 0.0001-0.05). A characteristic serum IgG oligosaccharide profile, or sugar print, for each of the rheumatic diseases was found. The sugar prints exhibited a range of glycosylation patterns whereby all RA (P < 0.0001) and JCA (P < 0.006) patients had predominantly agalactosyl structures, while SLE (P < 0.03-0.0001) and AS (P < 0.025-0.0001) patients had predominantly digalactosyl structures.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that each disease is associated with a specific mechanism that gives rise to alterations in the normal glycosylation pattern of IgG. Sugar printing of IgG is therefore a potential means for the differentiation of rheumatic diseases and may provide insight into disease pathogenesis.
Watson
M
M
St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
Rudd
P M
PM
Bland
M
M
Dwek
R A
RA
Axford
J S
JS
D000328:Adult; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis*; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009844:Oligosaccharides