Objective. To identify whether cytokines, cytokinerelated factors, and chemokines are up-regulated prior to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods. A nested case-control study was performed in 86 individuals who had donated blood samples before experiencing any symptoms of disease (prepatients) and 256 matched control subjects (1:3 ratio). In 69 of the pre-patients, blood samples were also obtained at the time of the diagnosis of RA. The plasma levels of 30 cytokines, related factors, and chemokines were measured using a multiplex system.Results. The levels of several of the cytokines, cytokine receptors, and chemokines were significantly increased in individuals before disease onset compared with the levels in control subjects; i. Conclusion. Individuals in whom RA later developed had significantly increased levels of several cytokines, cytokine-related factors, and chemokines representing the adaptive immune system (Th1, Th2, and Treg cell-related factors); after disease onset, the involvement and activation of the immune system was more general and widespread.

IntroductionAutoantibodies have a central role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The presence of autoantibodies preceding disease onset by years has been reported both in patients with SLE and in those with rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting a gradual development of these diseases. Therefore, we sought to identify autoantibodies in a northern European population predating the onset of symptoms of SLE and their relationship to presenting symptoms.MethodsThe register of patients fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE and with a given date of the onset of symptoms was coanalysed with the register of the Medical Biobank, Umeå, Sweden. Thirty-eight patients were identified as having donated blood samples prior to symptom onset. A nested case-control study (1:4) was performed with 152 age- and sex-matched controls identified from within the Medical Biobank register (Umeå, Sweden). Antibodies against anti-Sjögren's syndrome antigen A (Ro/SSA; 52 and 60 kDa), anti-Sjögren's syndrome antigen B, anti-Smith antibody, ribonucleoprotein, scleroderma, anti-histidyl-tRNA synthetase antibody, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), centromere protein B and histones were analysed using the AtheNA Multi-Lyte ANA II Plus Test System on a Bio-Plex Array Reader (Luminex200). Antinuclear antibodies test II (ANA II) results were analysed using indirect immunofluorescence on human epidermal 2 cells at a sample dilution of 1:100.ResultsAutoantibodies against nuclear antigens were detected a mean (±SD) of 5.6 ± 4.7 years before the onset of symptoms and 8.7 ± 5.6 years before diagnosis in 63% of the individuals who subsequently developed SLE. The sensitivity (45.7%) was highest for ANA II, with a specificity of 95%, followed by anti-dsDNA and anti-Ro/SSA antibodies, both with sensitivities of 20.0% at specificities of 98.7% and 97.4%, respectively. The odds ratios (ORs) for predicting disease were 18.13 for anti-dsDNA (95% confidence interval (95% CI), 3.58 to 91.84) and 11.5 (95% CI, 4.54 to 28.87) for ANA. Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies appeared first at a mean of 6.6 ± 2.5 years prior to symptom onset. The mean number of autoantibodies in prediseased individuals was 1.4, and after disease onset it was 3.1 (P < 0.0005). The time predating disease was shorter and the number of autoantibodies was greater in those individuals with serositis as a presenting symptom in comparison to those with arthritis and skin manifestations as the presenting symptoms.ConclusionsAutoantibodies against nuclear antigens were detected in individuals who developed SLE several years before the onset of symptoms and diagnosis. The most sensitive autoantibodies were ANA, Ro/SSA and dsDNA, with the highest predictive OR being for anti-dsDNA antibodies. The first autoantibodies detected were anti-Ro/SSA.

IntroductionWe and others have previously shown that antibodies against cyclic citrullinated proteins (anti-CCP) precede the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in a more recent study we reported that individuals who subsequently developed RA had increased concentrations of several cytokines and chemokines years before the onset of symptoms of joint disease. Here we aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictive values of anti-CCP antibodies of IgG, IgM and IgA isotype in individuals who subsequently developed RA and also to relate these to cytokines and chemokines, smoking, genetic factors and radiographic score.MethodsA case-control study (1:4 ratio) was nested within the Medical Biobank and the Maternity cohorts of Northern Sweden. Patients with RA were identified from blood donors predating the onset of disease by years. Matched controls were selected randomly from the same registers. IgG, IgA and IgM anti-CCP2 antibodies were determined using EliA anti-CCP assay on ImmunoCAP 250 (Phadia AB, Uppsala, Sweden).ResultsOf 86 patients with RA identified as blood donors prior to the onset of symptoms, samples were available from 71 for analyses. The median (Q1 to Q3) predating time was 2.5 years (1.1 to 5.9 years). The sensitivity of anti-CCP antibodies in the pre-patient samples was 35.2% for IgG, 23.9% for IgA, and 11.8% for IgM. The presence of IgG and IgA anti-CCP antibodies was highly significant compared with controls. IgG and IgA anti-CCP2 predicted RA significantly in conditional logistic regression models odds ratio (OR) = 94.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12.7 to 695.4 and OR = 11.1, 95% CI 4.4 to 28.1, respectively, the IgM anti-CCP showed borderline significance OR = 2.5 95% CI 0.9 to 6.3. Concentrations of all anti-CCP isotypes increased the closer to the onset of symptoms the samples were collected with an earlier and higher increase for IgG and IgA compared with IgM anti-CCP. IgA and IgG anti-CCP positive individuals had different patterns of up-regulated chemokines and also, smoking brought forward the appearance of IgA anti-CCP antibodies in pre-RA individuals.ConclusionsAnti-CCP2 antibodies of both the IgG and IgA isotypes pre-dated the onset of RA by years; also, both IgG and IgA anti-CCP2 antibodies predicted the development of RA, with the highest predictive value for IgG anti-CCP2 antibodies.

BackgroundRheumatoid factors (RFs) and antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCPs) of IgG, IgA and IgM isotype have been shown to precede disease onset by years.ObjectiveTo evaluate serological risk markers in first-degree relatives from multicase families in relation to genetic and environmental risk factors.Methods51 multicase families consisting of 163 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (mean±SD age, 60±14 years; disease duration 21 years; 71.8% female) and with 157 first-degree relatives unaffected by RA (54±17 years; 59.9% female) were recruited. Isotypes of antibodies against CCPs (IgG, IgA and IgM) and RFs (IgM and IgA) were determined using automated enzyme immunoassays. Cut-off levels were established using receiver operating characteristic curves based on values for 100 unrelated healthy controls.ResultsThe concentrations and frequencies of all anti-CCP and RF isotypes were significantly increased in first-degree relatives and patients with RA compared with unrelated healthy controls. The relative distribution of IgA and IgM isotypes was higher than IgG in the relatives, whereas the IgG isotype dominated in patients with RA. The patients carried human leucocyte antigen-shared epitope (HLA-SE) significantly more often than the relatives (71.4% vs 53.9%, p=0.01), while the frequency of the PTPN22 T variant was similar. HLA-SE, combined with smoking, was significantly related to all combinations of anti-CCP and RF isotypes in patients with RA. No such relationships were found for the first-degree relatives.ConclusionsAll anti-CCP and RF isotypes analysed occurred more commonly in unaffected first-degree relatives from multicase families than in controls, but with different isotype distribution from patients with RA.

The PTPN22 1858C/T polymorphism has been associated with several autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We have shown that carriage of the T variant (CT or TT) of PTPN22 in combination with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies highly increases the odds ratio for developing RA. In the present study we analysed the association between the PTPN22 1858C/T polymorphism and early RA in patients from northern Sweden, related the polymorphism to autoantibodies and the HLA-DR shared epitope, and analysed their association with markers for disease activity and progression. The inception cohort includes individuals who also donated samples before disease onset. A case-control study was performed in patients (n = 505; 342 females and 163 males) with early RA (mean duration of symptoms = 6.3 months) and in population-based matched controls (n = 970) from northern Sweden. Genotyping of the PTPN22 1858C/T polymorphism was performed using a TaqMan instrument. HLAshared epitope alleles were identified using PCR sequencespecific primers. Anti-CCP2 antibodies were determined using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Disease activity (that is, the number of swollen and tender joints, the global visual analogue scale, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate) was followed on a regular basis (that is, at baseline and after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months). Both the 1858T allele and the carriage of T were associated with RA (χ 2 = 23.84, P = 0.000001, odds ratio = 1.69, 95% confidence interval = 1.36-2.11; and χ 2 = 22.68, P = 0.000002, odds ratio = 1.79, 95% confidence interval = 1.40-2.29, respectively). Association of the 1858T variant with RA was confined to seropositive disease. Carriage of 1858T and the presence of anti-CCP antibodies was independently associated with disease onset at an earlier age (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), while the combination of both resulted in an even earlier age at onset. Smoking was identified as a risk factor independent of the 1858T variant and anti-CCP antibodies.

A longer duration of breastfeeding increased the risk of developing RA, especially among individuals seropositive for ACPA or IgM-RF or carrying the PTPN22 1858T variant. Use of OC for ≥ 7 years was associated with a decreased risk.

ObjectiveAnti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients display a unique feature defined by the abundant presence of N-linked glycans within the variable domains (V-domains). Recently, we showed that N-glycosylation sites, which are required for the incorporation of V-domain glycans, are introduced following somatic hypermutation. However, it is currently unclear when V-domain glycosylation occurs. Further, it is unknown which factors might trigger the generation of V-domain glycans and whether such glycans are relevant for the transition towards RA. Here, we determined the presence of ACPA-IgG V-domain glycans in paired samples of pre-symptomatic individuals and RA patients.MethodsACPA-IgG V-domain glycosylation was analysed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) in paired samples of pre-symptomatic individuals (median interquartile range (IQR) pre-dating time: 5.8 (5.9) years; n=201; 139 ACPA-positive and 62 ACPA-negative) and RA patients (n=99; 94 ACPA-positive and 5 ACPA-negative).ResultsV-domain glycans on ACPA-IgG were already present up to 15 years before disease in pre-symptomatic individuals and their abundance increased closer to symptom onset. Noteworthy, human leucocyte antigen class II shared epitope (HLA-SE) alleles associated with the presence of V-domain glycans on ACPA-IgG.ConclusionOur observations indicate that somatic hypermutation of ACPA, which results in the incorporation of N-linked glycosylation sites and consequently V-domain glycans, occurs already years before symptom onset in individuals that will develop RA later in life. Moreover, our findings provide first evidence that HLA-SE alleles associate with ACPA-IgG V-domain glycosylation in the pre-disease phase and thereby further refine the connection between HLA-SE and the development of ACPA-positive RA.

There was a positive correlation between levels of arachidonic acid in plasma phospholipids and disease activity assessed by BASDAI in patients with AS. A Western diet does not appear to influence this correlation, but seems to affect blood lipids involved in atherogenic processes.