Dataset Information

In rheumatoid arthritis, changes in autoantibody levels reflect intensity of immunosuppression, not subsequent treatment response.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies like rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-2 (anti-CCP2), and anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies. It is currently unclear whether changes in autoantibody levels are associated with disease activity/treatment outcomes and whether they are modified by treatment intensity. Therefore, we determined longitudinal changes in RA-autoantibody levels, the association between these changes and activity score (DAS) and treatment outcomes, and the effect of intensity of immunosuppressive treatment on levels.

Methods

In 381 seropositive RA patients from the IMPROVED study, we measured IgG, IgM, and IgA of anti-CCP2 and anti-CarP; IgM and IgA of RF; and IgG against four citrullinated and two acetylated peptides at 4-month intervals over the first year of treatment. Following initial prednisone and methotrexate (MTX), treatment was changed every 4?months aiming for DAS?ResultsFor all 14 autoantibodies, levels decreased from 0 to 4?months and then rose until 12?months. Following treatment escalation, autoantibody levels dropped markedly, while they rose following tapering: RF IgM levels, a representative autoantibody, dropped 10% after restarting prednisone and rose 15% aU/mL after tapering MTX (p?ConclusionsChanges in RA-autoantibody levels are not associated with DAS or long-term treatment response, but reflect intensity of immunosuppression. This suggests that autoantibody levels are modifiable by current therapies, but that modifying levels is in itself of limited clinical relevance.

Trial registration

ISRCTN11916566 . Registered on 7 November 2006.

SUBMITTER: de Moel EC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6339446 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

In rheumatoid arthritis, changes in autoantibody levels reflect intensity of immunosuppression, not subsequent treatment response.

de Moel Emma C EC Derksen Veerle F A M VFAM Trouw Leendert A LA Bang Holger H Collée Gerard G Lard Leroy R LR Ramiro Sofia S Huizinga Tom W J TWJ Allaart Cornelia F CF Toes René E M REM van der Woude Diane D

Arthritis research & therapy 20190118 1

<h4>Background</h4>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the presence of autoantibodies like rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-2 (anti-CCP2), and anti-carbamylated protein (anti-CarP) antibodies. It is currently unclear whether changes in autoantibody levels are associated with disease activity/treatment outcomes and whether they are modified by treatment intensity. Therefore, we determined longitudinal changes in RA-autoantibody levels, the association between th ...[more]

PMID: 30658699

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Project description:IntroductionIn rheumatoid arthritis (RA) immune activation and presence of autoantibodies may precede clinical onset of disease, and joint destruction can progress despite remission. However, the underlying temporal changes of such immune system abnormalities in the inflammatory response during treat-to-target strategies remain poorly understood. We have previously reported low levels of the soluble form of CD18 (sCD18) in plasma from patients with chronic RA and spondyloarthritis. Here, we study the changes of sCD18 before and during treatment of early RA and following arthritis induction in murine models of rheumatoid arthritis.MethodsThe level of sCD18 was analyzed with a time-resolved immunoflourometric assay in 1) plasma from early treatment naïve RA patients during a treat-to-target strategy (the OPERA cohort), 2) plasma from chronic RA patients, 3) serum from SKG and CIA mice following arthritis induction, and 4) supernatants from synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 6 RA patients cultured with TNFα or adalimumab.ResultsPlasma levels of sCD18 were decreased in chronic RA patients compared with early RA patients and in early RA patients compared with healthy controls. After 12 months of treatment the levels in early RA patients were similar to healthy controls. This normalization of plasma sCD18 levels was more pronounced in patients with very early disease who achieved an early ACR response. Plasma sCD18 levels were associated with radiographic progression. Correspondingly, the serum level of sCD18 was decreased in SKG mice 6 weeks after arthritis induction compared with healthy littermates. The sCD18 levels in both SKG and CIA mice exhibited a biphasic course after arthritis induction with an initial increase above baseline followed by a decline. Shedding of CD18 from RA SFMC and RA PBMC cultures was increased by TNFα and decreased by adalimumab.ConclusionsThe plasma sCD18 levels were altered in patients with RA, in mice with autoimmune arthritis and in cell cultures treated with TNFα and adalimumab. Decreased levels of plasma sCD18 could reflect autoimmunity in transition from early to chronic disease and normalization in response to treatment could reflect autoimmunity in remission.

Project description:BACKGROUND:The autoantibody profile of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is very diverse and consists of various isotypes and antibodies to multiple post-translational modifications. It is yet unknown whether this varying breadth of the autoantibody profile is associated with treatment outcomes. Therefore, we investigated whether the composition of the autoantibody profile in RA, as a marker of the underlying immunopathology, influences initial and long-term treatment outcomes. METHODS:In serum from 399 seropositive patients with RA in the IMPROVED study, drawn at baseline and at the moment of drug tapering, we measured IgG, IgM, and IgA isotypes for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-2 and anti-carbamylated protein antibodies, IgM and IgA rheumatoid factor, and reactivity against four citrullinated and two acetylated peptides (anti-modified protein antibodies (AMPAs)). We investigated the effect of the breadth of the autoantibody profile on (1) change in disease activity score (DAS)44 between 0 and 4 months, (2) initial drug-free remission (DFR, drug-free DAS44?<?1.6) achieved between 1 and 2 years of follow up, and (3) long-term sustained DFR until last follow up. RESULTS:Patients with a broad autoantibody profile at baseline had a significantly better early treatment response: ?DAS 0-4 months of 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6 vs 7-8 isotypes, -1.5 (p?<?0.001), -1.7 (p?=?0.03), and -1.8 (p?=?0.04) vs -2.2. Similar results were observed for AMPA number. However, patients with a broad baseline autoantibody profile achieved less initial DFR. For long-term sustained DFR there was no longer an association with the breadth of the autoantibody response. When assessing autoantibodies at the moment of tapering, similar trends were observed. CONCLUSIONS:A broad baseline autoantibody profile is associated with a better early treatment response. The breadth of the baseline autoantibody profile, reflecting a break in tolerance against several different autoantigens and extensive isotype switching, may indicate a more active humoral autoimmunity, which could make the underlying disease processes initially more suppressible by medication. The lack of association with long-term sustained DFR suggests that the relevance of the baseline autoantibody profile diminishes over time. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ISRCTN11916566 . Registered on 7 November 2006. EudraCT, 2006- 06186-16. Registered on 16 July 2007.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), potentially due to systemic inflammation, include cardiovascular disease and sarcopenic obesity. Adiponectin, an adipose-derived cytokine, has been implicated in inflammatory processes in RA, but little is known regarding its association with inflammation in a pre-clinical period. Therefore, we investigated whether adiponectin was associated with inflammatory markers in individuals at risk for RA, and whether RA-related autoimmunity modifies these associations. METHODS:We analyzed samples from 144 first-degree relatives (FDRs) of RA probands, of whom 23 were positive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and/or ? 2 rheumatoid factor isotypes (IgM, IgG or IgA). We called this phenotype the 'high risk autoantibody profile (HRP)' as it has been shown in prior work to be >96% specific for future RA. We measured adiponectin, cytokines, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Using linear mixed effects models, we evaluated interaction between HRP positivity and adiponectin on inflammatory markers, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, pack-years smoking, and use of cholesterol-lowering medications. RESULTS:In everyone, adiponectin concentration was inversely associated with hsCRP and IL-1? in adjusted models, where a 1% higher adiponectin was associated with a 26% lower hsCRP (p = 0.04) and a 26% lower IL-1? (p = 0.04). Significant interactions between HRP and adiponectin for associations with GM-CSF, IL-6, and IL-9 were detected in fully adjusted models (p = 0.0006, p = 0.006, p = 0.01, respectively). In HRP positive FDRs but not HRP negative FDRs, a 1% higher adiponectin was associated with 97% higher GM-CSF, 73% higher IL-6, and 54% higher IL-9 concentrations. CONCLUSIONS:Adiponectin associates with inflammatory markers, and these associations differ in individuals with a high-risk autoantibody profile compared with those without. The interaction between adiponectin and autoimmunity warrants further investigation into the potential systemic effects of RA-related autoantibodies and adiponectin on inflammation in the absence of clinically apparent RA.

Dataset Information

In rheumatoid arthritis, changes in autoantibody levels reflect intensity of immunosuppression, not subsequent treatment response.

Background

Methods

Trial registration

Publications

In rheumatoid arthritis, changes in autoantibody levels reflect intensity of immunosuppression, not subsequent treatment response.

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