title: Role of genetics in infection-associated arthritis.
abstract: Genetic discoveries in arthritis and their associated biological pathways spanning the innate and adaptive immune system demonstrate the strong association between susceptibility to arthritis and control of exogenous organisms. The canonical theory of the aetiology of immune-mediated arthritis and other immune-mediated diseases is that the introduction of exogenous antigenic stimuli to a genetically susceptible host sets up the environment for an abnormal immune response manifesting as disease. A disruption in host-microbe homeostasis driven by disease-associated genetic variants could ultimately provide the source of exogenous antigen triggering disease development. We discuss genetic variants impacting the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system and their relationship to microbial control and arthritic disease. We go on to consider the evidence for a relationship between HLA-B27, infection and arthritis, and then emerging evidence for an interaction between microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benham
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neurogenetics and Statistical Genomics, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: GREPI AGIM FRE3405 CNRS-EPHE, University Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Athan C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Baillet
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Rehaume
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: Ranjeny.thomas@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ranjeny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000235:genetics
keywords: Genetics; Host; Immunity; Infection; Microbiome; Rheumatoid arthritis; Spondyloarthropathy