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SUMMARYIn vitro data support the view that T cells in adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) respond lo the proteoglycan (PG) component of articular cartilage; however, an in vivo role for PG in AIA has yet lo be shown. To do so. we examined the effects of pretreatmcnt with bovine cartilage high density PG (HDPG) on AIA induced by heat-killed Mycobacierium butyricum in Lewis rats. Purified bovine cartilage HDPG emulsified in Frcund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA) was injected intradermally into rats 7 days before challenge with Myco. butyricum. The severity of arthritis was significantly suppressed in rats prctreated with as little as 0-75 mg of HDPG. and Ihe arthritis was completely suppressed in rats pretreated with 30 mg of HDPG. This suppression was specific, as the same treatment did not protect against type 11 collagen-induced arthritis. Suppression of AIA is primarily a property o\' the HDPG, as suppression of the arthritis was significantly less wiih pretreatment with 30 mg of middle density fractions of PG, and no suppression was observed with pretreatment with the lowest density fraction of PG. Thus we report that pretreatment with cartilage HDPG. but not lower density PG.can induce specific suppression of AIA. These in vivo results support the view thai immunity to cartilage HDPG plays a major role in the pathogenesis of AIA, and can induce specific tolerance to ihis type of arlhritis.

Clinical correlations with IgG-rheumatoid factor (IgG-RF) were evaluated in 41 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).The patients with positive IgG-RF with disease duration of less than two years showed increased levels in ESR, C-reactive protein, serum IgG concentrations and Lansbury's index, but they had neither extra-articular disorders nor vascular damage.However, four of eight patients with positive IgG-RF with disease duration of over five years had extra-articular disorders and vascular damage (especially interstitial pneumonia).In one early RA patient with positive IgG-RF who showed decreased levels of ESR and C-reactive protein and serum IgG concentrations, a high titer of IgG-RF was revealed over six months and joint damage progressed. In conclusion, we suggested that measurment of IgG-RF is useful in the clinical evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis associated with extra-articular disorders, vascular damage, and joint damage progression.

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