ANKYLOSING-SPONDYLITIS, HLA-B27 AND KLEBSIELLA .2. CROSS-REACTIVITY STUDIES WITH HUMAN-TISSUE TYPING SERA

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (1) , 92-96
Abstract
Human monospecific HLA-B27 typing sera have increased binding activity for Klebsiella extracts by hemagglutination (P < 0.001), radiobinding assay (P < 0.025) and radiolabeled antigen [Ag] competition assay (P < 0.02) when compared to non-B27 tissue typing sera. These observations agree with those of studies using rabbit sera. HLA-B27 lymphocytes may exhibit partial cross-reactivity with bacterial Ag found in some gram-negative microorganisms such as Klebsiella. Ankylosing spondylitis may occur as a result of immunological damage following infection by gram-negative bacteria carrying Ag having stereochemical similarity to self Ag.