Cross‐reactive epitope with Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase in articular tissue of HLA–B27+ patients with ankylosing spondylitis

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Abstract
Synovial tissues from patients with ankylosing spondylitis or reactive arthritis were examined by an immunoperoxidase technique, using antisera to synthetic peptides representing antigens shared between HLA–B27.1 and Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase. With either antiserum, all HLA–B27+ patients with synovial inflammation showed strong immunoperoxidase staining in synovial lining cells, vascular endothelium, and infiltrating inflammatory cells. These findings indicate that antigens showing cross-reactivity between HLA–B27.1 and Klebsiella nitrogenase epitopes are strongly expressed within inflamed synovial tissues of HLA–B27+ patients.