Objective
Accumulating evidence links juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to non-host factors such as gut microbes. We hypothesize that children with new-onset JIA have increased intestinal bacterial translocation and circulating LPS.
Methods
We studied systemic treatment-naive JIA patients (poly-articular JIA, n=22, oligo-articular JIA, n=31 and spondyloarthropathies, n=16), patients with established inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis (IBD-RA, n=11), and 34 healthy controls. We determined circulating IgG reactivity against LPS, LPS binding protein (LBP), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (A1AGP), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in plasma or serum from these patients and controls. JADAS27 scores were calculated for patients with JIA.
Results
Circulating anti-core LPS antibody concentrations in patients with poly-articular JIA (p=0.001), oligo-articular JIA (p=0.024), and spondyloarthropathies (p=0.001) were significantly greater than in controls, but there were no significant inter-group differences. Circulating LBP concentrations were also significantly greater in patients with poly-articular JIA (p=0.001), oligo-articular JIA (p=0.002), and spondyloarthropathies (p=0.006) than controls, as were A1AGP concentrations (p=0.001, 0.001, and 0.003, respectively). No differences were observed between controls and IBD-RA patients in any of the assays. Circulating concentrations of LBP and A1AGP correlated strongly with CRP concentrations (r=0.787 and r=0.635 respectively). Anti-core LPS antibody levels and CRP (r=0.26), LBP (r=0.24) and A1AGP (r=0.22) concentrations had weaker correlations. JADAS27 scores correlated with LBP (r=0.66) and A1AGP concentrations (r=0.58).
Conclusion
Children with poly-articular JIA, oligo-articular JIA, and spondylarthropathies have evidence of increased exposure to gut bacterial products. These data reinforce the concept that the intestine is a source of immune stimulation in JIA.