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Objectives: To investigate how individual rheumatoid arthritis (RA) autoantibodies associate with individual signs and symptoms at the time of RA diagnosis. Methods: IgA, IgG, IgM rheumatoid factor (RF), antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide version 2 (anti-CCP2) and 16 individual antibodies against citrullinated protein (ACPA) reactivities were analysed centrally in baseline sera from 1600 patients with RA classified according to the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. These results were related to C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), number of swollen and tender joints (SJC and TJC), 28-joint disease activity scores (DAS28 and DAS28CRP), global disease activity evaluated by the patients and Health Assessment Questionnaire, all obtained at baseline. Results: Individually, all autoantibodies except immunoglobulin G (IgG) RF associated with low SJC and TJC and with high ESR. In IgM RF-negative patients, ACPA associated strictly with low number of swollen and tender joints. This association persisted in multiple regression and stratified analyses where IgM and IgA RF instead associated with inflammation expressed as ESR. Among subjects without any ACPA peptide reactivity, there was no association between RF isotypes and ESR. The effect of RF on ESR increased with the number of ACPA reactivities, especially for IgM RF. In patients fulfilling the 1987 ACR criteria without taking RF into account, associations between IgM RF and high ESR, as well as between ACPA and low joint counts, remained. Conclusion: Whereas ACPA associate with low counts of affected joints in early RA, RF associates with elevated measures of systemic inflammation in an ACPA-dependent manner. This latter finding corroborates in vitro models of ACPA and RF in immune complex-induced inflammation. These phenotypic associations are independent of classification criteria.

Objectives To assess the association between venous thromboembolic (VTE) events and autoantibodies, following patients from RA diagnosis, measuring occurrence, levels and collective load of different autoantibodies against post-translational protein modifications, in particular recognizing citrullination (e.g. citrullinated fibrinogen) and RF by isotype. Methods A cohort of 2814 patients with newly diagnosed RA were followed for incident VTE through register linkages. Sera from RA diagnosis were centrally analysed for antibodies to second generation cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP2), 20 anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) fine-specificities, antibodies to additional protein modifications (carbamylation and acetylation) and RF by isotype. Association between baseline serology status and future VTE was analysed using Cox regression adjusted for age, sex and calendar period of RA diagnosis, overall and stratified by anti-CCP2 and RF positivity. Results During a median 16 years of follow-up, 213 first-ever VTE events were registered (5.0/1000 person-years). IgG anti-CCP2 (present in 65% of cohort) associated with VTE (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.78), in a dose-response manner. The risk of VTE increased with number of ACPA fine-specificities. IgM RF, but no other RF isotypes, associated with VTE (HR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.82). The associations were independent from smoking and HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles. None of the carbamylated or acetylated antibody reactivities associated with VTE. Conclusion Anti-CCP2, load of ACPA fine-specificities and IgM RF at RA diagnosis are associated with an increased risk of future VTE in RA. Antibodies to citrullinated fibrinogen did not differ substantially from other ACPA fine-specificities. Autoreactivity to other post-translational modifications was not associated with VTE risk., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council; NordForsk; Vinnova; Region Stockholm/Karolinska Institutet Funds (ALF); Swedish Heart Lung Foundation

Objectives Pulmonary manifestations in RA are common comorbidities, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. The added value of a multiplex of ACPA and genetic risk markers was evaluated for the development of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in an inception cohort. Methods A total of 1184 patients with early RA were consecutively included and followed prospectively from the index date until death or 31 December 2016. The presence of 21 ACPA fine specificities was analysed using a custom-made microarray chip (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden). Three SNPs, previously found related to PF were evaluated, rs2609255 (FAM13A), rs111521887 (TOLLIP) and rs35705950 (MUC5B). ACPA and genetic data were available for 841 RA patients, of whom 50 developed radiologically defined PF. Results In unadjusted analyses, 11 ACPA specificities were associated with PF development. In multiple variable analyses, six ACPA specificities were associated with increased risk of PF: vimentin (Vim)60-75, fibrinogen (Fib)beta 62-78 (72), Fib alpha 621-635, Bla26, collagen (C)II359-369 and F4-CIT-R (P < 0.01 to P < 0.05). The number of ACPA specificities was also related to PF development (P < 0.05 crude and adjusted models). In multiple variable models respectively adjusted for each of the SNPs, the number of ACPA specificities (P < 0.05 in all models), anti-Vim60-75 (P < 0.05, in all models), anti-Fib beta 62-78 (72) (P < 0.001 to P < 0.05), anti-CII359-369 (P < 0.05 in all models) and anti-F4-CIT-R AQ4 (P < 0.01 to P < 0.05), anti-Fib alpha 621-635 (P < 0.05 in one) and anti-Bla26 (P < 0.05 in two) were significantly associated with PF development. Conclusion The development of PF in an inception cohort of RA patients was associated with both presence of certain ACPA and the number of ACPA specificities and risk genes.

Objectives To assess the association between venous thromboembolic (VTE) events and autoantibodies, following patients from RA diagnosis, measuring occurrence, levels and collective load of different autoantibodies against post-translational protein modifications, in particular recognizing citrullination (e.g. citrullinated fibrinogen) and RF by isotype. Methods A cohort of 2814 patients with newly diagnosed RA were followed for incident VTE through register linkages. Sera from RA diagnosis were centrally analysed for antibodies to second generation cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP2), 20 anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) fine-specificities, antibodies to additional protein modifications (carbamylation and acetylation) and RF by isotype. Association between baseline serology status and future VTE was analysed using Cox regression adjusted for age, sex and calendar period of RA diagnosis, overall and stratified by anti-CCP2 and RF positivity. Results During a median 16 years of follow-up, 213 first-ever VTE events were registered (5.0/1000 person-years). IgG anti-CCP2 (present in 65% of cohort) associated with VTE (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.78), in a dose-response manner. The risk of VTE increased with number of ACPA fine-specificities. IgM RF, but no other RF isotypes, associated with VTE (HR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.82). The associations were independent from smoking and HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles. None of the carbamylated or acetylated antibody reactivities associated with VTE. Conclusion Anti-CCP2, load of ACPA fine-specificities and IgM RF at RA diagnosis are associated with an increased risk of future VTE in RA. Antibodies to citrullinated fibrinogen did not differ substantially from other ACPA fine-specificities. Autoreactivity to other post-translational modifications was not associated with VTE risk., Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council; NordForsk; Vinnova; Region Stockholm/Karolinska Institutet Funds (ALF); Swedish Heart Lung Foundation

Objective To investigate the relationship between anti–citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), specific ACPA subspecificities, rheumatoid factor (RF) isotypes, and incident cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Serum samples from Swedish patients with new-onset RA (diagnosed within 1 year of symptom onset between 1996 and 2009) were centrally typed for anti–cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 (anti-CCP2) antibodies, 20 ACPA subspecificities, and RF isotypes. Patients were followed up longitudinally in nationwide registers to monitor the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stroke, CV-related death, and major adverse CV events (MACE). The association between each serologic marker and CV outcome, and the impact of adjustment for the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), smoking status, and income at baseline, were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. In addition, associations of serologic markers with all-cause mortality were explored. Results In total, 2,814 patients with RA were included in the study. The median follow-up was 13 years, during which the CV end points of ACS, stroke, or CV-related death were reported to occur in 375 patients. Occurrence and/or levels of anti-CCP2 were associated with risk of incident ACS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.46, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.03–2.06), stroke (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.03–2.10), CV-related death (P = 0.024 for association with anti-CCP2 levels), and MACE (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.06–1.70). Similarly, an association with the number of ACPA subspecificities was observed; however, this could not be attributed to any individual or group of ACPA subspecificities. Presence of IgM-RF was associated with all CV end points except ACS, and IgA-RF was exclusively associated with CV-related death. Adjustment for smoking status, income, and DAS28 scores decreased most of the HRs, whereas IgA-RF remained associated with CV-related death (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.05–2.48). All of the ass

Objective. Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) are a hallmark of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Yet, the precise disease-relevant autoantigens that are targeted by ACPAs remains a matter of debate. This study utilized patient-derived monoclonal ACPAs, rather than serum autoantibody analysis, to characterize the multireactivity to different protein modifications and to reveal autoantibody subsets in patients with RA. Methods. Twelve human monoclonal ACPAs (positive by the second-generation cyclic citrullinated peptide test) were generated from 6 RA patients, and a head-to-head comparison of their reactivities was performed. For profiling, we used a complementary DNA-based protein array (Engine GmbH) and 3 peptide-screening platforms with RA autoantigens (Thermo Fisher Scientific), citrullinated and carbamylated peptides (NimbleGen/Roche), or histonederived peptides with different posttranslational modifications (JPT Histone Code), covering >207,000 peptides (>7,800 gene products). Results. The fine-specificity profiles of the investigated ACPAs varied, but all of the monoclonal ACPAs displayed multireactivity to a large number of citrullinated peptides/proteins, each characterized by specific binding properties. ACPA subsets could be defined by clone-distinct consensus binding motifs (e.g., Cit-Gly, Gly-Cit, or Arg-Cit-Asp), with the most common ACPA recognition being that of a Gly in the +1 flanking position, but with additional amino acid preferences. For ACPA protein recognition, we observed a preference for citrullinated RNA-binding proteins with high Arg/Gly content. Six of the 12 ACPA clones also bound acetylated-lysine (KAc) or homocitrulline peptide motifs, displaying a similar affinity or higher apparent affinity than that for Cit peptides. Conclusion. ACPAs and anti-modified protein autoantibodies represent overlapping facets of RA autoimmunity and bind to a wide variety of modified proteins, extending well beyond the historically r, QC 20201201

Introduction: Anticitrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) responses for 22 citrullinated peptides in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were analysed and related to radiological and clinical outcome during the first 2 years in a prospective inception cohort. Methods: The ACPA reactivities were assessed in 1022 patients with early RA (symptoms <12 months) using the custom-made microarray chip (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Uppsala, Sweden) in a prospective longitudinal study of observational assessments of Disease Activity Score (DAS28 and its components) and radiology during the first 24 months, accounting for the treatment. Results: Frequency of ACPA reactivities varied between 13.3% and 63.1%. Of the anticyclic citrullinated peptide-2 (anti-CCP2) antibody-negative patients, ACPA reactivities were positive in 32.6%. Smoking, human leucocyte antigen-shared epitope (HLA-SE), anti-CCP2/rheumatoid factor, protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (1858C/T) and DAS28 were significantly associated with number of ACPA reactivities. The ACPA reactivities modified differently the development of DAS28 over 24 months (identified using trajectories). Anti-Filaggrin307-324, anti-hnRNP (Peptide)-Z1 and anti-F4-CIT-R antibodies anticipated lower DAS28 values (p<0.01–0.05), while positivity for anti-Fibrinogen(Fib)β62-78(74), and anti-Fibα563-583 predicted higher DAS28 (p<0.01 both). Interaction between anti-Fibß36-52, anti-Pept-5 and anti-Bla-26 antibodies, respectively, and DAS28 during 24 months decreased significantly the DAS28 values (p<0.01–0.05). Corticosteroids and biologicals were related to DAS28-area under the curve and Larsen score 24 months. Anti-vimentin2-17 antibodies remained significantly associated with Larsen score at baseline and 24 months, respectively, and radiological progression, besides biologicals at 24 months adjusted for sex and age. Conclusions: Several ACPA reactivities modified significantly the DAS28 development during the f

Objective: Antibodies against posttranslationally modified proteins are a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the emergence and pathogenicity of these autoantibodies are still incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the antigen specificities and mutation patterns of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) derived from RA synovial plasma cells and address the question of antigen cross-reactivity. Methods: IgG-secreting cells were isolated from RA synovial fluid, and the variable regions of the immunoglobulins were sequenced (n = 182) and expressed in full-length mAb (n = 93) and also as germline-reverted versions. The patterns of reactivity with 53,019 citrullinated peptides and 49,211 carbamylated peptides and the potential of the mAb to promote osteoclastogenesis were investigated. Results: Four unrelated anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPAs), of which one was clonally expanded, were identified and found to be highly somatically mutated in the synovial fluid of a patient with RA. The ACPAs recognized >3,000 unique peptides modified by either citrullination or carbamylation. This highly multireactive autoantibody feature was replicated for Ig sequences derived from B cells from the peripheral blood of other RA patients. The plasma cell-derived mAb were found to target distinct amino acid motifs and partially overlapping protein targets. They also conveyed different effector functions as revealed in an osteoclast activation assay. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the high level of cross-reactivity among RA autoreactive B cells is the result of different antigen encounters, possibly at different sites and at different time points. This is consistent with the notion that RA is initiated in one context, such as in the mucosal organs, and thereafter targets other sites, such as the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPA) target a wide range of modified proteins. Citrullination occurs during physiological processes such as apoptosis, yet little is known about the interaction of ACPA with nuclear antigens or apoptotic cells. Since uncleared apoptotic cells and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) products have been postulated to be central sources of autoantigen and immunostimulation in autoimmune disease, we sought to characterize the anti-nuclear and anti-neutrophil reactivities of ACFA. Serology showed that a subset of anti-CCP2 seropositive RA patients had high reactivity to full-length citrullinated histones. In contrast, seronegative RA patients displayed elevated IgG reactivity to native histone compared to controls, but no citrulline-specific reactivity. Screening of 10 single B-cell derived monoclonal AGFA from RA patients revealed that four ACPA exhibited strong binding to apoptotic cells and three of these had anti-nuclear (ANA) autoantibody reactivity. Modified histones were confirmed to be the primary targets of this anti-nuclear ACPA subset following immunoprecipitation from apoptotic cell lysates. Monoclonal ACPA were also screened for reactivities against stimulated murine and human neutrophils, and all the nuclear-reactive monoclonal ACPA bound to NETs. Intriguingly, one ACPA mAb displayed a contrasting cytoplasmic perinuclear neutrophil binding and may represent a different NET-reactive ACPA subset. Notably, studies of CRISPR-Cas9 PAD4 KO cells and cells from PAD KO mice showed that the cytoplasmic NET-binding was fully dependent on PAD4, whilst nuclear- and histone-mediated NEI reactivity was largely PAD-independent. Our further analysis revealed that the nuclear binding could be explained by consensus-motif driven ACPA cross-reactivity to acetylated histones. Specific acetylated histone peptides targeted by the monoclonal antibodies were identified and the anti-modified protein aut

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