title: Antibody responses to periodontopathic bacteria in relation to rheumatoid arthritis in Japanese adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontopathic bacteria have been implicated as contributory to the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Anticyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) were shown to be associated with RA. This study examines whether serum levels of antibodies to periodontopathic bacteria may affect clinical and laboratory profiles of RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study participants consisted of 80 patients with RA, and 38 age-, sex-, smoking status-, and periodontal condition-balanced healthy controls. After periodontal and rheumatologic examination, serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Prevotella intermedia, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans), and Eikenella corrodens (Ec) and those of anti-CCP antibodies and RF were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with RA showed significantly higher levels of anti-Pg and anti-CCP antibodies than controls (P = 0.04 and P <0.0001). In contrast, IgG responses to Aa and Ec in patients with RA were significantly lower than those in controls (P <0.0001 and P = 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association of anti-Pg and anti-Aa IgG responses with RA, after adjustment for age, sex, and smoking (P = 0.005 and P = 0.02). Anti-Pg titer displayed a significant correlation with RF levels, probing depth, and clinical attachment level (P = 0.03, P = 0.03, and P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that serum levels of anti-Pg IgG antibodies were associated with RA, and might affect serum levels of RF and periodontal condition in patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontology, Department of Oral Biological Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Moe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murasawa
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016124:Eikenella corrodens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000276:immunology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000276:immunology*; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000276:immunology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C487763:cyclic citrullinated peptide; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor