Open AccessAgalactosyl IgG in pristane‐induced arthritis. Pregnancy affects the incidence and severity of arthritis and the glycosylation status of IgG
Author(s) -
THOMPSON S. J.,
HITSUMOTO Y.,
ZHANG Y. W.,
ROOK G. A. W.,
ELSON C. J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb06976.x
Subject(s) - immunology , arthritis , glycosylation , medicine , incidence (geometry) , pregnancy , immunoglobulin g , antibody , biology , biochemistry , physics , genetics , optics
SUMMARY The effect of pregnancy on the incidence and severity of pristane‐induced arthritis was examined along with the glycosylation status of IgG during the ante‐natal and post‐partum periods. Il was found that pristane‐induced arthritis is prevented by pregnancy. In addition, the levels of agalactosyl IgG fall during pregnancy but rise lo greater than normal within a few days of parturition, before resetting towards the norm shortly afterwards. Interestingly, the level of agalactosyl IgG correlates with the severity of arthritis. As previously reported IL‐6may bean important factor, not necessarily the only one, in the production of agalactosyl IgG. Here it is clearly demonstrated that the kinetics of IL‐6 activity post‐pristane injection parallels the kinetics of agalactosyl IgG production. In addition, the overshoot in agalactosyl IgG levels immediately post‐partum coincides with a burst in IL‐6 activity. It is considered that these changes in IgG glycoform levels, or the factors which control them, may be related to the mechanisms underlying prevention/remission of arthritis during pregnancy.