IDIOTYPIC NETWORK - POSSIBLE EXPLANATION OF SERONEGATIVITY IN A PATIENT WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (2) , 281-286
Abstract
To explain long term seronegativity in certain patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the presence of anti-idiotypic antibodies against rheumatodid factors (RF) was sought. From a patient''s serum with classical but seronegative RA, a low quantity of the IgG fraction which partially recognized polyclonal RF idiotypes was isolated. The purified Fab''2 anti-idiotypic antibodies were able to inhibit up to 48% of in vitro RF production by pokeweed mitogen stimulated lymphocytes from a patient''s peripheral blood with seropositive RA. This single patient with seronegative RA has serum antibodies directed against RF idiotypes. These anti-idiotypic antibodies could be implicated in the generation of seronegativity.