Distinct oligosaccharide content of rheumatoid arthritis‐derived immune complexes

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Abstract
Obective. To investigate the association between glycosylation and immune complex formation in various disease groups.Methods. Immune complexes and IgG were isolated from serum and their carbohydrate content evaluated in a dot‐blot assay using specifically binding lectins.Results. Significantly more N‐acetylglucosamine was detected in complexes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than in those from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn's disease, or infectious endocarditis, or from normal controls (P < 0.001). The immune complex concentration in the circulation was strongly associated with N‐acetylglucosamine levels (P < 0.001 by chi‐square analysis).Conclusion. The composition of immune complexes from RA patients is distinct in carbohydrate content from those found in other disease groups.