Liesbeth M De Winter1, Wendy L J Hansen1, Hanna W van Steenbergen2, Piet Geusens3, Jan Lenaerts4, Klaartje Somers1, Piet Stinissen1, Annette H M van der Helm-van Mil2, Veerle Somers5. 1. Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute, and transnationale Universiteit Limburg, School of Life Sciences, Hasselt, Belgium. 2. Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. 3. Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute, and transnationale Universiteit Limburg, School of Life Sciences, Hasselt, Belgium Department of Rheumatology, Reuma Clinic, Genk, Belgium Rheumatology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 4. Department of Rheumatology, Reuma Instituut Department of Rheumatology, Jessa Hospitals, Hasselt, Belgium. 5. Hasselt University, Biomedical Research Institute, and transnationale Universiteit Limburg, School of Life Sciences, Hasselt, Belgium veerle.somers@uhasselt.be.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Despite recent progress in biomarker discovery for RA diagnostics, still over one-third of RA patients-and even more in early disease-present without RF or ACPA. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence of previously identified autoantibodies to novel Hasselt University (UH) peptides in early and seronegative RA. METHODS: Screening for antibodies against novel UH peptides UH-RA.1, UH-RA.9, UH-RA.14 and UH-RA.21, was performed in two large independent cohorts. Peptide ELISAs were developed to screen for the presence of antibodies to UH-RA peptides. First, 292 RA patients (including 39 early patients), 90 rheumatic and 97 healthy controls from UH were studied. Antibody reactivity to two peptides (UH-RA.1 and UH-RA.21) was also evaluated in 600 RA patients, 309 patients with undifferentiated arthritis and 157 rheumatic controls from the Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic cohort. RESULTS: In both cohorts, 38% of RA patients were seronegative for RF and ACPA. Testing for autoantibodies to UH-RA.1 and UH-RA.21 reduced the serological gap from 38% to 29% in the UH cohort (P = 0.03) and from 38% to 32% in the Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic cohort (P = 0.01). Furthermore, 19-33% of early RA patients carried antibodies to these peptides. Specificities in rheumatic controls ranged from 82 to 96%. Whereas antibodies against UH-RA.1 were related to remission, anti-UH-RA.21 antibodies were associated with inflammation, joint erosion and higher tender and swollen joint counts. CONCLUSION: This study validates the presence of antibody reactivity to novel UH-RA peptides in seronegative and early RA. This might reinforce current diagnostics and improve early diagnosis and intervention in RA.
OBJECTIVES: Despite recent progress in biomarker discovery for RA diagnostics, still over one-third of RApatients-and even more in early disease-present without RF or ACPA. The aim of this study was to confirm the presence of previously identified autoantibodies to novel Hasselt University (UH) peptides in early and seronegative RA. METHODS: Screening for antibodies against novel UH peptides UH-RA.1, UH-RA.9, UH-RA.14 and UH-RA.21, was performed in two large independent cohorts. Peptide ELISAs were developed to screen for the presence of antibodies to UH-RA peptides. First, 292 RApatients (including 39 early patients), 90 rheumatic and 97 healthy controls from UH were studied. Antibody reactivity to two peptides (UH-RA.1 and UH-RA.21) was also evaluated in 600 RApatients, 309 patients with undifferentiated arthritis and 157 rheumatic controls from the Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic cohort. RESULTS: In both cohorts, 38% of RApatients were seronegative for RF and ACPA. Testing for autoantibodies to UH-RA.1 and UH-RA.21 reduced the serological gap from 38% to 29% in the UH cohort (P = 0.03) and from 38% to 32% in the Leiden Early Arthritis Clinic cohort (P = 0.01). Furthermore, 19-33% of early RApatients carried antibodies to these peptides. Specificities in rheumatic controls ranged from 82 to 96%. Whereas antibodies against UH-RA.1 were related to remission, anti-UH-RA.21 antibodies were associated with inflammation, joint erosion and higher tender and swollen joint counts. CONCLUSION: This study validates the presence of antibody reactivity to novel UH-RA peptides in seronegative and early RA. This might reinforce current diagnostics and improve early diagnosis and intervention in RA.
Authors: Guillermo Carvajal Alegria; Pierre Gazeau; Sophie Hillion; Claire I Daïen; Divi Y K Cornec Journal: Clin Rev Allergy Immunol Date: 2017-10 Impact factor: 8.667
Authors: Stefan Vordenbäumen; Ralph Brinks; Patrick Schriek; Angelika Lueking; Jutta G Richter; Petra Budde; Peter Schulz-Knappe; Hans-Dieter Zucht; Johanna Callhoff; Matthias Schneider Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2020-07-06 Impact factor: 5.156
Authors: Liesbeth M De Winter; Piet Geusens; Jan Lenaerts; Johan Vanhoof; Piet Stinissen; Veerle Somers Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2016-06-07 Impact factor: 5.156
Authors: Debbie M Boeters; Leendert A Trouw; Annette H M van der Helm-van Mil; Hanna W van Steenbergen Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2018-05-03 Impact factor: 5.156