THE DISTRIBUTION OF A SPECIFIC HLA-B27-ASSOCIATED CELL-SURFACE COMPONENT ON THE TISSUES OF PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOSING-SPONDYLITIS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (1) , 158-164
Abstract
The presence on Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines, on platelets and on fibroblasts of an HLA-B27-associated cell surface complex (antigenically related to some antigens of Klebsiella pneumoniae K43 and K21) is reported which is identical to or cross-reactive with the determinant present on the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of B27-positive patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). By contrast, no Klebsiella K43 markers could be demonstrated on the spermatozoa of B27+ AS+ individuals even though these cells expressed the HLA-B27 alloantigen. No B27-associated K43 antigen was detected on the erythrocytes of patients or of normal controls. The B27-associated membrane marker is still detectable on lymphoblastoid cell lines after 20 generations and on fibroblasts after about 10 generations. The continued expression of the Klebsiella-modified B27 structure probably is genetically determined and does not require the repeated exposure of the cell surface to Klebsiella antigen. Certain non-lymphoid and lymphoid cells may be involved in the complex sequence of events leading to the clinical manifestation of AS.