RESUMO
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from different ethnic groups present elevated levels of antibodies against Proteus mirabilis. This finding implicates P. mirabilis in the development of RA. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of P. mirabilis in the etiopathogenesis of RA in Greek RA patients. In this study, 63 patients with RA and 38 healthy controls were included. Class-specific antibodies IgM, IgG, and IgA against three human cross-reactive and non-cross-reactive synthetic peptides from P. mirabilis-hemolysin (HpmB), urease C (UreC), and urease F (UreF)-were performed in all subjects, using the ELISA method. RA patients had elevated levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies against HpmB and UreC Proteus peptide which are significantly different compared to healthy controls: p = 0.005, p < 0.001, and p = 0.003 and p = 0.007, p = 0.002, and p < 0.001, correspondingly. Also, elevated levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies against the UreF Proteus peptide-which are non-cross-reactive with human tissue antigens-were observed and their significant difference compared to healthy controls (p = 0.007, p < 0.001, p < 0.001). Anti-peptide antibodies in RA patients showed a significant correlation with rheumatoid factors (Rf), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), especially when patients were divided into subgroups according to the receiving treatment. Greek RA patients present elevated levels of antibodies against P. mirabilis antigenic epitopes, such as in North European populations, albeit Greek RA patients presenting the cross-reaction antigen in a low percentage. These results indicate that P. mirabilis through the molecular mimicry mechanism leads to inflammation and damage of the joints in RA.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antibacterianos/sangue , Artrite Reumatoide/imunologia , Proteus mirabilis/imunologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Artrite Reumatoide/sangue , Feminino , Grécia , Humanos , Imunoglobulina A/sangue , Imunoglobulina G/sangue , Imunoglobulina M/sangue , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fator Reumatoide/sangueRESUMO
The distribution of phenotypic and allelic frequencies of aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALADH) in different areas of Greece is reported. The frequencies of the allele ALADH1 and ALADH2 in Greece are 0.955 and 0.0455, respectively.
Assuntos
Polimorfismo Genético/genética , Sintase do Porfobilinogênio/genética , Alelos , Eletroforese em Gel de Ágar , Frequência do Gene , Grécia , Humanos , FenótipoRESUMO
In 12 of 21 cystinuric patients, the components of cystine stones, either previously passed or removed at surgery, were studied by X-ray diffractometry and chemical analysis. The results of diffractometry suggested that, in addition to cystine, the stones contained sodium urate and ammonium magnesium orthophosphate hydrate, although chemical analysis was negative for these components. The role of uric acid in cystinuria is discussed.
Assuntos
Cistina/análise , Cálculos Urinários/metabolismo , Cistinúria/urina , Humanos , Magnésio/análise , Fosfatos/análise , Ácido Úrico/análise , Difração de Raios XAssuntos
Talassemia/sangue , alfa 1-Antitripsina/análise , Frequência do Gene , Genes , Humanos , FenótipoAssuntos
Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Glicoproteínas/genética , Cirrose Hepática/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/complicações , Frequência do Gene , Humanos , Cirrose Hepática/complicações , Neoplasias Hepáticas/complicações , Fenótipo , Polimorfismo GenéticoRESUMO
The Gm(1), Gm(2), Gm(4), Gm(12), and Inv (1) factors were studied in the sera of 56 patients suffering from rheumatiod arthritis and 26 from various rheumatic diseases, by the hemagglutination inhibition test, using optimally reacting mixtures of Ragg and Nagg sera. The distribution of these factors was found to agree with that of healthy Greeks. No correlation was found between hypergammaglobulinemia and the discovery of the Gm(1) and Inv (1) factors. The presence of the rheumatoid factor was independent of the Gm and Inv phenotypes.