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. 1984 Jan;55(1):115–124.

Antibody to streptococcal cell wall peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers in seropositive and seronegative rheumatic disease.

P M Johnson, K K Phua, H R Perkins, C A Hart, R C Bucknall
PMCID: PMC1535795  PMID: 6362931

Abstract

An ELISA has been developed for serum antibodies to streptococcal cell wall peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers (PG-GSP). A significantly increased prevalence of serum anti-PG-GSP antibody was found in juvenile chronic arthritis and both seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA), compared with ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myeloma and healthy controls. Anti-PG-GSP antibody was always of the IgG class and there was no correlation of anti-PG-GSP levels with C reactive protein, rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-streptolysin O titres. There was no direct cross-reaction of RF with PG-GSP, nor did the presence of IgM-RF significantly interfere with the assay. Examination of paired serum and synovial fluid samples offered no evidence for local production of anti-PG-GSP antibody in synovial tissue. These data are compatible with an increased systemic immunization by bacterial fragments in RA.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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